Warm Quinoa Salad & Vegan Fettucini Alfredo

Soooo….I have been slacking just a bit a whole lot on posting anything food-related lately.  So, here are two of my favorite recipes from recent meals.  The first is Warm Quinoa Salad and the second is Vegan Fettucini Alfredo.  Pretty dang tasty if you ask me.

Warm Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups edamame
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Squish of lemon juice

Directions: Toast quinoa in dry skillet for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to smell deliciously popcorn-like. Bring broth to a boil in a medium-sized pan.  Add quinoa to boiling broth. Add seasoning.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7-8minutes.  Add edamame beans (**note: I sauteed mine first with some spicy goodness ahead of time for about 2minutes) and let cook for an additional 7-8minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let cool for about 5minutes, squish with lemon juice, and then add on top of a delicious salad!



Fettucini Alfredo Sauce (V) with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
2tbs flour
2tbs garlic
3 tbs nutritional yeast
1tbs non-dairy sour cream (Tofutti is a great option)
1 1/2tbs olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Italian seasonings (all kinds welcome!)

Directions: Heat oil on med-high in a saucepan.  Put garlic in the pan for 2-3minutes.  Then add flour and whisk to create a thick, roux-like substance.  Stir in milk slowly.  Cook on medium for 4-5minutes.  Add seasoning, nutritional yeast, and sour cream.  **For brussels sprouts:  Heat oven to 450F.  Season sprouts.  Cook for 20minutes.  Add to sauce when complete.  Woo!

These are two pretty quick, easy recipes.  They are both packed with awesomeness as well.  Try them out!

Do you like brussels sprouts?  They seem to be a much hated food! 
Do you cook vegan ever?  

Baked Veggie Ziti

Italian food is by far my favorite of the foods genres.  This week I was loving some superb pasta dishes.  I should have been born in Italy.  But, since I wasn't I just try to cook Italian food as much as possible. Here is my awesome (and healthy-ish) baked ziti recipe.

Ingredients

12oz uncooked ziti pasta (or other pasta-i.e. I used rotini because it is what I had on hand) 

Amount of tomato and zucchini needed. 

3/4cup low fat ricotta 

3/4cup of cheese (preferably mozzarella) 

2tbs nutritional yeast (adjust if not using cheese) 

1/2 large zucchini

1/2 large tomato

1cup unsalted tomato sauce 

2 gloves of garlic (chopped finely) 

How the mixture should appear. 

Salt- to taste

Pepper- to taste

Onion Powder- to taste

Oregano- to taste 

Olive Oil- enough to sauté veggies 

Viola! The finished product. 

Directions: Preheat oven to 400F.  In a medium pan, boil pasta until it is almost al dente(do NOT overcook).  Then, drain pasta and rinse with cold water, set aside.  Fill the bottom of a small skillet with some olive oil.  Sauté veggies and garlic until lightly browned.  While doing this stir ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce, spices, and nutritional yeast together in a bowl.  Pour cheese mixture into a the original pasta pan and warm on low for 3-4 minutes.  Add small amount of unsweetened non-dairy milk to sauce mixture if it is not the desired creaminess.  Put pasta and cheese mixture into a baking dish and top with a little fresh parmesan (optional).  Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Serve warm!

**Awesome lunch leftovers!!

What is your favorite food genre?