Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

I wanted spaghetti, but I didn't want to use TVP (textured vegetable protein) or have thin, soupy sauce. So I just started chopping vegetables and throwing them in! My Mom used to call that being a "dump cook" (dump it in the pot and see what happens). So what happened was soooooo delicious! I'm really excited about figuring out a spaghetti sauce that is delicious, satisfying and filling without using meat!

Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
8 ounces whole white mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
3 large celery ribs, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 can Hunt's Traditional Spaghetti Sauce (use your favorite sauce, of course!)
1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
dried oregano, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
1/4 cup Marsala cooking wine, optional

Spray a Dutch oven with cooking spray. Add olive oil. Add the carrots and cook for a few minutes then add the bell pepper, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and celery, and stir to coat with oil. Sprinkle a little oregano on vegetables and stir. Cover and cook on medium to medium-low for a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Stir often to ensure the vegetables are not scorching. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if you need to. Add the minced garlic and cook a little more.

Add spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes. Check for seasoning. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. Let the sauce come to a boil, then lower fire to low, cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender. Add wine, if using. Let sauce cook and reduce a little. Serve on top of whole wheat pasta, barley, quinoa, or just eat plain!

Tip: Clean and save your mushroom stems in a freezer bag to make a delicious stock!

Bob and I wanted pasta tonight (a rare occasion!) and I found this pasta. Look at the fiber grams! Look at the proteins! Look at the list of ingredients! And it tasted good too. It didn't have that gummy, pasty texture I hate in pasta.

Vegan Super Bowl Party Chili

I found a delicious vegan chili recipe and had to share! I made it tonight and Bob and I love it! It doesn't take very long to prepare and is so delicious that even if you're not vegan or vegetarian, you're gonna love it!

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/01/healthy-super-bowl-party-chili.html

I made a couple of changes to the recipe when I made this the second time: (You know I had to tweak!)

1. I sauteed my vegetables in water instead of oil. Heat your pot a bit then add the onions and the same amount of water as the recipe calls for oil. Keep a little water handy and add more as needed. You won't need much; the onions will release their own moisture as they soften.
2. I doubled the chili powder. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon and I put 2. We like a little more chili flavor.
3. I didn't use salt at the end. I added the black pepper and the chili tasted great as it was so I left out the salt; we all need to cut down on salt anyway.
4. I'm not a hot sauce person since my wls, but I still enjoy using a little tabasco vinegar. Just a few drops in my bowl really livened up this chili.

 



Italian Bean and Tuna Salad

After one of our long walks, my new walking buddy, Marilyn, invited me to her house to try out a new dish. A friend of hers had emailed it to her and it looked so good she tried it right away and I was invited to be a co-guinea pig! I was kind of wondering how it would taste...after all, here in the South we smother tuna with mayonnaise and this tuna salad not only didn't have mayo, but it had beans in it! But I went and shared a lovely meal with Marilyn and the tuna salad was d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s! Perfect for a light lunch or dinner!

Italian Bean and Tuna Salad

1-15 ounce can navy beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounce can or packet water packed tuna, drained and flaked
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup fresh or frozen cut (1 inch) green beans, cooked, rinsed with cold water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
mixed greens or spinach

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients except the lettuce/spinach and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Line plates with the lettuce or spinach, spoon salad onto lettuce and enjoy.

Note: You can also add some black olives, grape tomatoes, or green onions to this salad to jazz it up any way you want to!

TIP: If you're like me and don't keep fresh herbs around but have the dried herbs that's fine, just use one-third the amount called for in the recipe.