Spaghetti Squash with Sweet Peppers

A delicious recipe that is quick to make utilizing the microwave.

Spaghetti Squash with Sweet (or Hot) Peppers 
Serves 4
Total Time: 25 minutes

1 medium spaghetti squash (2 lbs)
1/2 medium green pepper, sliced
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

• Cut squash in half lengthwise & discard seeds.  Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish or plate.  Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes or until tender.  Cool.
• In a large nonstick skillet, saute the peppers and onion in oil until tender (4-5 minutes).  Add tomatoes and garlic & saute 4 minutes longer.  Add broth and salt & simmer for 3 minutes.
• When squash is cool enough to handle, scrape a fork on the inside of the squash to separate the strands into a serving dish.  Top with the pepper mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

I made an unintentional change to the above ingredients.  You see, my husband brought in some green and red peppers from our garden that looked like miniature sweet peppers.  To my surprise, they were hot red cherry peppers (the green ones were picked early).  Thankfully, I seeded them before slicing and adding to the saute.  It was a very happy mistake as the peppers added just a little kick of spice to the dish.

Rotini & Veggie Skillet

I got this recipe from a Barilla Pasta box.  Luckily, I had most of the veggies on hand.  I made some substitutions:  I skipped the onion and yellow squash and used diced tomatoes instead of the cherry tomatoes.  It was delicious!

Rotini and Veggie Skillet
Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

1 box Rotini pasta
4 Tbsp Olive oil
1 small Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Zucchini, diced
1 medium Yellow squash, diced
1 bunch Asparagus, sliced into bite-size pieces
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Salt and Pepper, to taste
4 leaves Basil, torn

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

3. Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash and asparagus and saute for 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes; season with salt and pepper and saute for 2 more minutes. 

6. Drain pasta and toss with the sauce and basil.

Nacho Bake & Fresh Salsa

This Nacho Bake recipe was inspired by a recipe found in the August/September 2011 edition of Taste of Home  magazine.  The original recipe calls for canned ingredients and a jar of pimento-stuffed olives.  I chose to use fresh vegetables from my garden and omit the olives from the recipe.  I also substituted ground chicken for the ground beef in the recipe.  The resulting meal was delicious.  I will definitely be making it again.

Nacho Cheese (Beef) Bake
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 lb ground beef (I used 1/2 lb ground chicken)
2 cups Tomatoes, diced
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed nacho cheese soup, undiluted
1/2 cup chili peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used pepper jack)
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Optional condiments: shredded lettuce, sour cream and/or salsa (recipe below)

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef (chicken) over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in tomatoes, soup and chilies.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Stir in noodles.

Transfer to a greased 11" x 7" baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.  Top with tortilla chips.  Serve with your choice of condiments.

We enjoyed ours with some homemade salsa:

Fresh Salsa

• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels (Cut from a cooked corn cob or frozen)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 spicy pepper, seeded and minced (I have used cowhorn pepper and chili pepper from my garden, but you can use a jalapeno pepper)
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together first 7 ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Veggie Scrambles

Disclaimer: This was originally a Frittata recipe.  However, I am not good at making frittata's on the stove (I prefer baking them), so this ended up being a veggie scramble.  Here is the original recipe:

Calico Pepper Frittata
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 spicy pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
(my addition) 1 medium tomato, seeded & chopped
(my addition) 3 okras, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 Tbsp grated Romano cheese (I substituted monterrey jack)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large nonstick skillet, saute veggies and garlic in oil until crisp-tender.  In large bowl, whisk eggs & egg substitute.  Pour into the skillet.  Sprinkle with cheese, salt & pepper.

As the eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath (or in my case, just scramble the whole thing as it cooks).  Cook until eggs are completely set, about 8-10 minutes.  Cut into wedges (or serve as you would scrambled eggs).

This is a picture of another veggie scramble I made.  I simply stirred some eggs together with some of our garden vegetables and cooked it like I would scrambled eggs.  I served it with bacon and some leftover Italian bread I had from the Panzanella recipe. 

The frittata recipe is from Birds & Bloom Grow It Cook It (A to Z veggie guide plus 350+ tips for your BEST garden ever!!).  You have probably noticed by now that I love this magazine.  Every recipe I have made from it has been delicious (even when I have to adjust for my lack in cooking skills). 

Panzanella

I was the only one in my family that liked this dish.  If I make it again, I will have to adjust the ingredient measurements to make one serving.

Panzanella (serves 8)

2 cups bread (I used a loaf of Italian bread), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup olive oil
1/2 lb bacon
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 lbs tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet.  Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over the bread.  Bake 10-15 minutes, until dry.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp.  Your choice: 1. skillet on stove top, 2. baking sheet in oven for 15 minutes, or 3. between napkins on a plate for 5 minutes in the microwave.  I chose the microwave method.

Combine the shallot with the vinegar in a small bowl and set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Combine the tomatoes, avocados, and cucumber in a large bowl.  Crumble the bacon into the bowl.  Add the bread cubes and toss to combine.  Add remaining olive oil (about 2/3 cup) to the vinegar and shallot mixture and whisk to emulsify.  Pour over the salad, using as much dressing as you like (Save leftovers for a future salad).  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Gently toss all the ingredients to coat.

I served this as a side to baked chicken.

This recipe came from The Cleaner Plate Club: Raising Healthy Eaters One Meal at a Time.  This was the third recipe we tried from the cookbook and the third one that we were not overjoyed about eating.  I am planning to try a couple more because I am hopeful that we'll find one we like.  I am completely on board with the "Real Foods" philosophy that the book supports, but have been disappointed by the recipes I have tried.

Roasted Ratatouille

This roasted dish is definitely prettier than the other Ratatouille recipe, but we did not like it as much as the stove-top version.  My husband liked the red pepper flakes in this one, though.

Roasted Ratatouille

1 lb eggplant, diced and cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 1/2 lbs tomatoes, quartered
1/2 lb zucchini, diced into 1/2" cubes
1/2 lb yellow squash, diced into 1/2" cubes
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes or hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and set aside in a colander to drain for at least 30 minutes.  Rinse, drain, and pat dry.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Saute the onion and garlic about 5 minutes (do not brown).  Add the bell pepper and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. 

4. Add the tomatoes and smash a bit with a spoon.  Stir in the diced eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes, if desired.  Transfer the mixture to a baking pan and bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time, until the vegetables are browned just a bit on the edges.  Season with salt and pepper.

This recipe is from "The Cleaner Plate Club" cookbook: The Cleaner Plate Club: Raising Healthy Eaters One Meal at a Time.  I am encouraged by the concept of the book...cooking whole foods that the whole family can enjoy.  This was my second attempt at making a meal from the cookbook (first was a moderately good cucumber salad recipe), and I am hopeful that we will enjoy more of the recipes.

Egg & Veggie Scramble

This is another great way to use up vegetables and give your breakfast a healthy boost.

For each scramble:

2 eggs
2-3 Tbsp chopped veggies (I like tomatoes, bell peppers, & onions in mine)
1-2 Tbsp shredded cheese

Whisk the eggs, veggies & cheese in a small bowl.  Pour into greased pan and cook on medium heat until eggs are almost set.  Stir until eggs are to desired consistency.  Enjoy with your favorite breakfast sides...we like turkey bacon, cinnamon rolls, and fruit salad (below).

At Season's Peak:
Right now our local grocer has Golden-dew melon and Ranier cherries advertised as being at the peak flavor for the season.  I cut up the melon, halved and pitted the cherries, and combined them in a bowl along with some sliced strawberries and red grapes.  Yum!

Caprese Salad

I love, love, love this dish!  It is so quick and easy to make and it tastes delicious when the ingredients are fresh from my garden.  The amount of ingredients I use are never exact measurements, so the recipe below is a general guideline.  Feel free to change to suit your tastes.

Caprese Salad

·         1 large tomato, sliced

·         2 oz fresh mozzarella

·         Fresh basil leaves (one for each of the tomato slices

·         1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Place the tomato slices on a serving platter.  Slice the mozzarella and place on tomato slices.  Top each slice with a basil leaf.  Drizzle with vinegar & oil.  Enjoy!

If you don’t have fresh mozzarella on hand or you want a dairy-free option, this recipe is a delicious alternative:

Faux-prese Salad

·         1 large tomato

·         ¼ cup sweet onions

·         1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

·         1 Tbsp olive oil

·         Fresh basil leaves 

·         Salt and pepper

Slice tomato and arrange on serving dish.  Chop the onions and arrange over tomato.  Drizzle oil and vinegar over the tomato and onions. Top with basil leaves.  Add salt & pepper to taste

Cucumber Salsa

Here's another one from the Grow It, Cook It magazine.

Cucumber Salsa (Yields 2 1/2 cups)

2 cups cucumber: peeled, seeded & finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato, finely chopped & seeded
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 spicy pepper, seeded & chopped
4 1/2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Tortilla chips

In a medium bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients.  In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin and seasoned salt.  Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat.  Serve with chips.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is not a pretty dish.  What it lacks in beauty, though, it more than makes up for in taste...especially when you use fresh local produce.  Here is a pic of the vegetable ingredients:

Look at all those vibrant colors.  Just like in painting, if you mix all those colors you get brown.  Cooked up it looks like this:

And it is delicious!

I serve it over rice, so the first thing I do is make enough rice servings for my family.  By the time the rice is done, so is the Ratatouille.

Ratatouille (6 servings)

1 medium eggplant (1 - 1 1/2 lbs)

2 small zucchini (1/2 lb)

1 medium green pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

2 medium tomatoes, cut into fourths

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Wash eggplant and peel (if desired).  Cut in half inch cubes.  Boil 5-8 minutes or until tender.

Wash zucchini.  Remove stem and blossom ends but do not peel.  Cut in half inch cubes.  Boil 3-6 minutes.

Cook eggplant, zucchini and remaining ingredients in 12" skillet over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender.

Serve over rice.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup and Zucchini bake

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

4 tomatoes
4 cups tomato juice
14 fresh basil leaves
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and seed tomatoes:
Cut out the cores and score a cross in the base of each tomato.  Immerse the tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for 8-15 seconds.  Transfer to a bowl of cold water with a slotted spoon.  The skin should peel off easily...lift the edge of the skin with a knife, if needed.  Seed the tomatoes by halving them and squeezing the seeds out.  I prefer to rinse them out in my kitchen sink.

For the soup:
Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Let cool before transferring to a blender or food processor.  Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves.  Return the puree to the stock pot.  Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream and butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat, stirring until the butter is melted.  Do not boil.


Zucchini Bake

3 cups zucchini, unpeeled and sliced
1 cup biscuit mix
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
dash garlic powder
2 Tbsp fresh parsely, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheast oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned.

My confession:  I was not a big fan of this zucchini bake at first (I think because of the parmesan cheese).  However, I do like to eat tomato soup balanced with some carbohydrates (grilled cheese sandwich or crackers).  Since one of the ingredients in this casserole is biscuit mix, I decided to try dipping the casserole into my soup and eating it that way (weird, I know).  It was delicious!

Fresh Salsa - Quick & easy

• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels (Cut from a cooked corn cob or frozen)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 spicy pepper, seeded and minced (I have used cowhorn pepper and chili pepper from my garden, but you can use a jalapeno pepper)
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together first 7 ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

You can simply serve with tortilla chips for an appetizer/snack or you can incorporate it into a mexican meal.

We chose to make beef & bean burritos and topped them with this salsa.

You may notice there are more green veggies...my husband decided to add diced cucumbers to his burrito.