by hello@healthfullyheather.com | Sep 3, 2019 | Recipes
Spaghetti Bolognese is one of those classic dishes that is on a pretty consistent rotation at our house. So in an effort to switch it up, I decided to test out the recipe using lentils instead of ground meat.
Whether you’re vegetarian or just looking to increase plant-based recipes in your repertoire, this one is a winner!
To be honest you don’t even need to have this with pasta – it’s great on its own like a stew, over roasted broccoli or cauliflower, or with sauteed greens. You could even just swap out the traditional pasta for zucchini noodles instead.
Sometime we steer clear of lentils because of the impression that they take a long time to cook – but these little green ones only need around 25 minutes, which pairs perfectly with the time needed to cook the sauce.
Enjoy!
Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
- 240 g Green Lentils
- 1 L Vegetable Broth (or chicken broth if not strict vegetarian)
- 1 large Onion diced
- 2 large Carrots diced
- 3 stalks Celery diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 500 mL Tomato Puree
- Sea Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 400 g Pasta of choice
- Parmesan Cheese optional, for garnish
- Fresh Basil optional, for garnish
Put lentils and broth in a medium sized pot, keeping around 80mL (1/3 cup) of the broth aside. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for around 25 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, in a large frying pan over medium heat warm the olive oil. Add in the onions and cook for several minutes until fragrent.
Add the carrots, celery, and garlic to the pan with the onions. Cook, covered, until vegetables are soft, stirring occassionally, around 20-25 minutes.
When lentils are cooked, drain, then add to the frying pan with the vegetable mixture.
Add the tomato puree and remaining broth to the pan and mix well. Reduce heat to low and let cook, covered, stirring often, while preparing the pasta.
Cook pasta following package instructions. When draining, save some of the leftover pasta water.
If the sauce is too thick for your liking, stir in the pasta water, 30mL at a time until thin enough (generally no more than 120mL otherwise it could become too diluted).
Served with fresh, grated parmesan or fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!
This dish would be great with zucchini noodles! If using regular pasta be careful not to go overboard with the serving size as, thanks to the lentils, the sauce is very filling.
Keyword Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
by hello@healthfullyheather.com | Aug 6, 2019 | Recipes
Pasta salads are basically the epitome of childhood summer barbecue recipes. I bet every mother had one, recipe slightly different from the rest.
As a kid, I always loved the super creamy mayonnaisey ones, but yet my mom always made a vinegrette version. I never understood it!
But now I get the vinegrette love. There is so much more flavour in there especially if you let the whole thing marinate for a couple hours.
Plus what a delicious way to pack in some extra veggies while still eating “pasta” – right?!
After making my own version for a family gathering earlier this year, I knew I had to further “Healthfully Heather” customize it. Enter – the zucchini noodles!
You don’t even need to cook them, making this way easier than your standard pasta version – no cook or cooling time needed. Yet the spiralized zoodles still give you almost the same feeling.
Make this the day before and let the flavours sink in over night, and enjoy!
Zoodle Pasta Salad
Pasta salad recipe with tomato, cucumber, and greek dressing using zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
- 1 Zucchini
- 1 large Tomato diced
- 1/2 Cucumber diced
- 2 Shallots diced
Dressing
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1.5 tsp Oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp Parsley dried
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- pinch Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
Peel the zucchini and cut off the ends. In order to create short noodles, like half moons, cut zucchini along the long side half-way through. Using a vegetable spiralizer with the thick noodle setting, spiralize into noodles.
In a large bowl, mix the zoodles, tomato, cucumber, and shallots together.
In a small bowl or jar, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well until fully combined.
Pour dressing over vegetables, mixing well until evenly distributed.
Serve immediately or allow to marinate in the fridge for several hours for more depth of flavour. Enjoy!
If you don't have a vegetable spiralizer, skip cutting the zucchini lengthways. Instead use your vegetable peeler to create thin ribbons.
Keyword Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, Salad, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
by hello@healthfullyheather.com | Jun 27, 2018 | Recipes
Quinoa is one grain that I always keep in my pantry, but definitely under-utilize in my day-to-day cooking! But it is such a nutritional powerhouse. Did you know that it’s actually not a grain? Quinoa are in fact seeds, but since it can be cooked and ground like other grains it tends to be considered more in the latter category. It’s a good vegetarian source of protein, and contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
It’s a very versatile ingredient and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. This quinoa and bell pepper mixture is one of my favourites, whether it’s stuffed in the Portobello mushroom or as an addition to a meal-sized salad.
Quinoa-stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
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1/2 cup quinoa
-
1 cup water
-
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used 1/2 each of red and yellow peppers)
-
1 shallot, chopped
-
1 garlic bulb, minced
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1 tbsp fresh or dried parsley, chopped
-
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
salt & pepper
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4 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Pre-heat the oven to 350F/175C.
In a pot over medium heat, mix the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until water is fully absorbed and quinoa is soft. Add more water if needed.
Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, sauté the pepper, shallot, and garlic. Season with salt & pepper.
Once quinoa is cooked and pepper, shallot, and garlic is al dente, mix the vegetables in with the quinoa along with the parsley.
With the Portobello mushrooms stem-side up on a lined baking sheet, spoon the quinoa mixture into the mushroom “bowl” packing it down.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, the mushrooms should become soft but still hold their shape.
Serve as you desire, perhaps with a sprinkle on top of fresh parsley and some feta!
Serves 4
