Friday, August 27, 2010

Whole Grain Linguine with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb Barilla Whole Grain Linguine
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, Chopped
1/4 Onion, Chopped
1 Tbs Fresh Parsley, Chopped
2 Roasted Red Peppers, Sliced
1 tsp Thin Fresh Lemon
1/4 cup Water
Salt
Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
1 cup Romano Cheese, Shredded

Instructions
BRING a large salted pot of water to a boil.
JUICE lemon to yield 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
SAUTÉ garlic in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
ADD onion and continuing cooking until the onion appears translucent.
ADD chopped parsley and sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat.
ADD roasted red peppers, lemon juice and water; bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
COOK Whole Grain Linguine according to the package directions. Meanwhile, TRANSFER sauce mixture to a blender and blend until smooth; pour back into skillet and bring to a simmer.
DRAIN Whole Grain Linguine and toss with sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to melt before serving.

Barilla® Whole Grain Linguine with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Monday, August 9, 2010

Spinach-Zucchini Soup

This light soup is full of sunny flavors like lemon, zucchini, and dill. Serves 6.




Ingredient List:
  • 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (2 cups)
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini, or 1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups baby spinach (4 oz.)
  • 2 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 4 tsp. finely chopped mint leaves

Instructions:
  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Sauté onion 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent.
  3. Add zucchini, and cook 8 minutes more, or until vegetables are well browned.
  4. Add vegetable broth and 2 cups water, and bring to a boil.
  5. Stir in beans and spinach, and return to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
  7. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and mint.
  8. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Vegetarian Times Issue: September 1, 2009 p.51

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Penne Pasta Salad with Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

A high-quality, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is essential to this recipe's success: the bold, salty flavor curbs the need for extra fat or seasoning. The salad also makes a quick weeknight meal when served hot. Serves 6.


Ingredient List:
  • 6 oz. penne rigate pasta
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 9 cloves garlic, minced (3 Tbs.)
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 red jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped (1 Tbs.)
  • 10 fresh red or yellow grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 oz. shaved or crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions:
  1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 8 minutes. Add broccoli, and cook 1 minute more. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
  2. Return pot to stove, and heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic in oil 1 minute. Add jalapeño, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in pasta mixture, tomatoes, and reserved cooking water. Transfer to large serving bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cool to room temperature, and top with cheese.

Vegetarian Times Issue: July 1, 2009 p.48

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Whole-Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Peas, Feta, and Mint

One large pot of boiling water is all it takes to make a pasta medley full of fresh spring vegetables. Blanching the vegetables in the boiling water also adds flavor to the pasta. Serves 6.





Ingredient List
12 oz. whole-wheat pasta shells
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen baby peas
2 Tbs. garlic oil, such as Garlic Gold
3 green onions, thinly sliced (1/3 cup)
1 cup sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

Directions
  1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with slotted spoon; transfer to serving bowl.
  2. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 5 minutes. Add peas, return water to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Drain pasta and peas, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta and peas to pot. Stir in reserved cooking water, asparagus, garlic oil, green onions, basil, mint, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired; transfer back to serving bowl; and sprinkle with feta cheese, if using.
Vegetarian Times Issue: April 1, 2009 p.69

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Golden Garlic, Tomatoes, and Sage

Sage and tomatoes pair beautifully in this light pasta sauce. Firm Roma tomatoes are your best bet here for a sauce that’s not too watery. If early-season tomatoes make the sauce taste too acidic, stir 1 tsp. sugar or honey in with the sage and olives. Serves 6.



Ingredient List
1/2 lb. whole-wheat spaghetti
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and sliced (3 Tbs.)
1 1/2 lb. ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (6 cups)
3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
2 Tbs. fresh chopped sage, plus more leaves for garnish
2 Tbs. chopped kalamata olives

Directions
  1. Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water 10 to 11 minutes, or until al dente.
  2. Heat oil and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, sage, and olives, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  3. Drain spaghetti, and return to pot. Add sauce, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide among 6 serving bowls, and garnish with sage leaves.

Vegetarian Times Issue: June 1, 2009 p.43

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Fresh Vegetables


INGREDIENTS

1 box(es) BARILLA Whole Grain Spaghetti
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
1 clove(s) garlic
1 cup(s) white onion, finely chopped
2 cup(s) zucchini, diced small
2 cup(s) yellow squash, diced small
1 bunch(es) asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup(s) yellow bell pepper, julienne
3 cup(s) cherry tomatoes, halved
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
4 leaf(ves) fresh basil, torn

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
HEAT olive oil in a large skillet. Using the side of a knife, gently press and peel the garlic.
ADD onion and saute for 5 minuts, until translucent. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes until slightly brown.
ADD bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash and asparagus and saute until heated but not completely cooked.
ADD tomatoes, season with salt and pepper; sauté for 2 additional minutes. Remove garlic clove and discard.
COOK Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti according to the package directions.
DRAIN pasta and add to the skillet. Toss with vegetables and add fresh basil before serving.

Whole Grain Medium Shells with a Winter Squash and Walnut Ragu

INGREDIENTS

1 box(es) BARILLA® Whole Grain Medium Shells
3 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 whole acorn squash, diced
1/2 whole butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 cup(s) water
1 whole zucchini, diced
1 whole yellow squash, diced
1/4 cup(s) walnuts
1/4 cup(s) Pecorino cheese, grated
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil.
SAUTÉ garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet until garlic turns slightly yellow.
ADD acorn and butternut squash; sauté for 1 minute.
ADD water and simmer for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Set mixture aside.
SAUTÉ diced zucchini and yellow squash with remaining olive oil in the same skillet; season with salt and pepper. Add the blended squash mixture to the skillet and combine.
TOAST walnuts in a small non-stick skillet until golden brown; remove and roughly chop.
COOK Barilla® Whole Grain Medium Shells according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
POUR cooking water into the sauce and stir well. Add pasta to the skillet and toss well.
TOP with chopped nuts and grated cheese before serving.

Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti with Zucchini and Parmesan


INGREDIENTS

1 box(es) BARILLA® Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti
4 small zucchini, diced
to taste sea salt
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
1 clove(s) garlic, chopped
2 cup(s) cherry tomatoes
4 leaf(ves) fresh basil, cut into strips
1/2 cup(s) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
SEASON zucchini with sea salt.
COOK pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, HEAT olive oil in medium skillet, add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
ADD zucchini to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes.
ADD cherry tomatoes and sauté until skins are slightly blistered and the tomatoes are heated through, about 2 minutes.
DRAIN pasta, add to skillet and toss with basil and cheese.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Oven-Dried Sweet Potato Chips

Colorful, crisp sweet potato chips create a flavorful and low-fat substitute for the more familiar fried white potato chips. Serves 4.

Ingredient List

* 1 tsp. fine-grained sea salt
* 1 tsp. chili powder
* 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
* 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
* 1 lb. sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled, if desired
* 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250F.
2. Combine salt and spices in mixing bowl.
3. Slice sweet potatoes paper-thin and toss lightly with oil. Toss potatoes with spice mixture until evenly coated. Arrange potatoes on wire grates sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray or on baking sheets fitted with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 2 hours, then turn off oven and let potatoes dry for 2 more hours or overnight. Alternately, dehydrate sweet potato slices in dehydrator according to manufacturer’s directions.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: Calories: 110, Protein: 1g, Total fat: 3g, Saturated fat: g, Carbs: 18g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 590mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 7g

Oven-Dried Sweet Potato Chips - Vegetarian Times Issue: December 1, 2002 p.45

Baked French Fries

Better than fast-food fries, this healthy homemade version has lots of flavor with a minimum of fat. As a welcome bonus, the skins can be left on the potatoes for extra crispness. 4 Servings.

Ingredient List

* 2 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed (leave peels on if preferred)
* 2 tsp. melted butter or olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut slices into fry-shaped sticks.
3. Pour melted butter or oil into medium bowl. Add potato sticks and toss to coat. Spread on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, then turn potatoes and bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. While still warm, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 128, Protein: 2g, Total fat: 2g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 26g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 29mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: g

Baked French Fries - Vegetarian Times Issue: February 1, 1998 p.58

Colorful Oven Fries


Oven-fried sweet potatoes can be tricky because the potatoes’ high moisture content makes it difficult for them to “fry,” and their ample sugar causes them to burn easily. Okinawan sweet potatoes work well here because of their dry texture, but a dusting of potato starch helps keep all varieties crisp. Serves 6.

Ingredient List
  • 2 lb. assorted sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks
  • 1 Tbs. canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, optional
  • 2 Tbs. potato starch
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Set 1 oven rack in top position and 1 rack in bottom position.
  2. Toss together sweet potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, if using. Sprinkle with potato starch; toss mixture once more to coat well. Arrange in single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes.
  3. Turn potatoes with spatula, and rotate baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes more, or until golden brown.
Nutritional Information
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121, Protein: 2g, Total fat: 3g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 24g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 226mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 7g

Colorful Oven Fries - Vegetarian Times Issue

Garlicky Oven Fries

Presoaking potato slices in hot water helps remove excess starch so they brown and crisp like oil-cooked fries.



Ingredient List
  • 1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
  • 2 tsp. canola oil
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
Directions
  1. Place oven rack in lowest position, and preheat oven to 475°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Soak potatoes in bowl of hot water 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and return to dry bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, heat canola oil, olive oil, and garlic in saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook garlic 2 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Transfer garlic to small bowl with slotted spoon.
  3. Pour oil over potatoes, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden on bottom. Turn, and bake 10 minutes more, or until golden and crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, stir parsley into reserved garlic; sprinkle over fries. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information

Per SERVING: Calories: 167, Protein: 3g, Total fat: 4.5g, Saturated fat: 0.5g, Carbs: 29g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 298mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 5g

Garlicky Oven Fries