Mini Rotini with Zucchini Cream Sauce

Like many of my dinners recently, this recipe is the result of what I had left in my fridge. But despite being thrown together, it was pretty yummy.

Mini Rotini with Zucchini Cream Sauce
Ingredients
3 small zucchinis
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup half n half
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp cream cheese
Thyme
Salt & pepper
Red pepper flakes
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions
1. Make pasta per package directions.
2. Begin making the zucchini sauce while water for the pasta is boiling.
3. Grate zucchini using the large holes of a cheese grater. Scoop into a sauce pan and cook with olive oil until the zucchini’s water is released. Stir occasionally.

4. Using the small holes of your cheese grater, grate your garlic cloves and add to the zucchini. Continue cooking for another 1 minute.
5. Add the chicken broth, half n half, cream cheese and seasoning. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble.

6. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender. Return to heat and boil for another few minutes.

7. Pour over pasta and enjoy.

Bonus: Add a tbsp of butter and a little more red pepper flakes.

What did you make for Meatless Monday?

Sebzeli Nohut (Chickpeas with Vegetables)

Whether you call them ceci, chickpeas, garbanzos, or nohut…we’re all talking about those yummy fiber and protein packed legumes.

I’ve been hoping to find a new recipe for them and today I managed to find one that is both meatless and Turkish inspired.

Sebzeli Nohut
Original recipe from Almost Turkish

Ingredients
1 can organic chickpeas (drain)
1/2 big onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fineley chopped cabbage
1 cup matchstick carrots
5 baby gold potatos, peeled and grated
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp pepper flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Cook onions and peppers in olive oil in a large, deep pan until soft.

2. Stir in cabbage, carrot, potato, and cumin. Cook for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and stir for another minute.

4. Add chickpeas, salt, blackpepper, pepper flakes, and stock. Add a 1/2 cup of water or less (just enough to cover the chickpeas). Cover and reduce heat to low.
5. Prepare Jasmine rice. Once done, the nohut will also be ready (about 15-20 minutes). Serve together with plain yogurt.

This recipe creates a really subtle but delicious flavor combination. 🙂

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo

Happy Meatless Monday! I spent some time preparing a meal plan this weekend, so I have a quite the handful of recipes to share with you. If tonight’s meal is any indication, it’s going to be a delicious week.

This recipe was inspired by Lauren’s Latest.

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo

Ingredients

2 red peppers
1 zucchini (optional)
1/4 large yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 cup half n half
4 oz seasoned goat cheese
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

Directions

1. Cut peppers in half, rinse and remove stems/seeds. Brush with olive oil and broil at 525 degrees F.
2. While the peppers roast, saute finely chopped onions and garlic in a sauce pan until translucent. Cut the ends off the zucchini and shred using the fine side of a cheese grater. Add zucchini to the onions and garlic and continue to cook on low heat for about 3 more minutes.
3. Pour in the half n half, goat cheese, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Mix and continue to cook at medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the red peppers are charred, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Gently peel off the skin and chop into strips. Add to sauce pan and blend using an immersion blender.
5. Add salt and pepper. Serve over a bed of your favorite pasta ( I chose Mezze Penne).

So good! Especially along with some Prison Break on Hulu!

Got a Meatless Monday idea? I’d love to read about it.

Meatless Monday – Crunchy-Top Casserole

Tonight’s meal was a twist on a recipe I’ve had since I was a little kid. It was one of those staple meals my mom used to make often.

When I was going through my cookbooks a few weeks ago, I found an old notebook with a couple of handwritten recipes, including the Crunchy-Top Casserole. I hadn’t seen or even thought of this notebook in years! So glad I found it.

Crunchy Top Casserole
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb frozen hash browns
1 can Cream of Chicken (doesn’t count as meat, right? Right.)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups Plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
4 white mushrooms (chopped)
1/2 medium green pepper
1/2 medium red pepper
6 oz shredded Colby Jack cheese
2 cups crushed corn flakes
1/4 cup melted butter
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put hash browns in a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Chop peppers and mushrooms.
3. Shred cheese.
4. Pour corn flakes in a Ziploc bag and crush.

5. Mix yogurt, 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken, salt and pepper in hash browns.

6. Mix cheese, peppers, and mushrooms in hash browns.

7. Bake in oven at 350 F for 30 minutes.
8. Cover hash browns in corn flakes and pour remaining butter evenly ontop.
9. Bake for another 30 minutes at the same temperature.

The original recipe included 2 cups of cubed ham, which I substituted with mushrooms. You could also try adding pieces of bacon or slices of turkey. Just not on Meatless Monday. 😉