Meatless Monday - Creamy veg pasta

 Pin It

Ok, this recipe doesn't make any sense at all.

It has the weirdest combination of ingredients, but it works so well! It just kept evolving as I was thinking about it, and there was a bunch of stuff I needed to use in the fridge, and at the last minute, the mushrooms were singing me a beguiling song and I knew I needed to add them. It may look disgusting, you may wonder what the hell I was thinking, but once you taste it, you'll know.

Promise.

I just can't do pasta without mushrooms. and garlic. usually cream. and when asparagus are in season, then LOOK OUT.

The capsicum was just along for the ride.

Serves 2-3 (or maybe 4 depending on your pasta packet size)

(yes I'm still waiting for a pasta roller)

Ingredients:
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red capsicum
200-300ml cream (depending on how many you're cooking for)
salt and pepper
parmesan-style cheese
fresh asparagus
fresh pasta

Directions:

1. Melt the butter and heat the olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat until softening.

2. Add garlic and capsicum and cook 1 minute.

3. Add cream and turn heat on to high. Bring to the boil and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes to reduce.

4. Cook pasta. One minute before it's ready, throw in the asparagus. Drain.

5. Add some parmesan to the cream sauce and season to taste.

6. Add the cream sauce to the pasta and pile in serving bowls. Top with asparagus and extra parmesan.

Linky Bitz

♥ The linky will be up every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn't matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday - it's just an easy day to create the link.
♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you're feeling generous!
♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we're in it together!

Meatless Monday - Roast veggie and herb fettuccine

 Pin It

This pasta was a lot of fun, as I got to use all of the delicious herbs that have been growing in my garden lately. (That reminds me - I need to do an update!) They really do pack a punch when cooking with tomatoes and zucchini and plain pasta, and I love that you can cater it to your own tastes and what you have growing in your own garden. I'm guessing this dish will never taste the same twice!

I also served it with some sourdough slices that I buttered, spread with garlic and salt and grated parmesan-style cheese over, and popped in the oven for a bit with the grill on - crispy, buttery, garlicky goodness! Especially nice with such a simple pasta.

This dish is so easy - all the veg and the sauce gets made in the one pan, which makes cleaning a breeze. I used fresh fettuccine because I like it better, but you can use whatever you like!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
olive oil
4 red, ripe tomatoes cut in wedges
4 small zucchinis, cut in thick-ish rounds
1 eggplant, cut into small-ish dice (you want it to cook in time with the other things that are quicker)
assorted herbs to taste - I used fresh oregano, tarragon, rosemary, parsley and basil - and lots of them!
1/4 - 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
fettuccine, cooked according to directions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200C.

2. Pour a little olive oil in a baking tray and add veggies, tossing to coat.

3. Cook 20 minutes or so until tomatoes are just collapsing and other veg is picking up a little colour. You don't want the tomatoes to be complete mush, so keep an eye on it.

4. Remove from heat and add herbs. Mix balsamic with sugar, dijon, salt and pepper and pour over veggies, mixing gently with the oil at the bottom and any juices the veggies have given off during cooking.

5. Serve over fettuccine with fresh rocket or spinach or whatever you have in your garden on top.

Linky Bitz

♥ The linky will be up every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn't matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday - it's just an easy day to create the link.
♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you're feeling generous!
♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we're in it together!

Roasted pumpkin and asparagus ravioli

 Pin It

Ahhh pumpkin. Where would I be without you? I remember when I first went veg, I told myself it was the thing I liked most from a roast dinner anyway, so I wouldn't suffer. And I haven't yet! Pumpkin is my number-one favourite vegetable, and roast pumpkin is the king of that. Queen? I don't know, all's I know is it's the best way to eat the best thing.

Asparagus would have to be up there as one of the next favourites... along with artichokes and potatoes, all jostling for position. I love crisp asparagus in just about everything, but a creamy sauce sure is a lot of fun. I love adding a dash of fresh greenness to what would otherwise be a very rich dish. Which never usually bothers me, but sometimes I like to feel virtuous!

I have used pre-made ravioli as I still haven't gotten round to getting a pasta machine, but you can use whatever you like. Gnocchi would be awesome. I haven't given very specific amounts here, but this sauce will make enough for 4.

Ingredients:
Cheese + spinach ravioli 
1/2 pumpkin, diced and roasted 20 minutes or so (it's ok to make a little extra!)
1 bunch fresh asparagus
a few handfuls fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs butter
300ml single cream
salt
pepper
parmesan-style cheese

Directions:

1. In a frying pan,  gently saute the garlic in butter two minutes.

2. Add cream and bring to a boil. Simmer and add salt and parmesan to taste.

3. Cook ravioli according to packet directions (or however you make it if you make your own).

4. Drain ravioli and divide among bowls. Top with spinach, sauce, roasted pumpkin, asparagus and a grinding of black pepper.

5. Pass some parmesan-style cheese for folks to add their own.

6. Invite me over for dinner.

Meatless Monday - Four-cheese spinach artichoke lasagna

 Pin It

This is a little bit of a cheaty dish, I'm afraid - it almost makes itself (except for the bechamel), and does its thing in the oven while you go do something way more exciting (hopefully). The resulting delicious cheesy gooey mess actually tastes like you spent much more time on it than you did - and it makes wonderful leftovers. Sometimes I prefer it to vegetable lasagna, simply because the flavours are simpler, and for a cheese fan like me it feels a little bit more indulgent. And for a kid who grew up not eating a single bite of spinach (it was just never served at my house!) I cant' imagine a life without it now. Vastly different to Popeye's cans of green sludge, anyway!

Oh and if you like mushroom lasagna, like what's on this week's meal plan, stay tuned... I've got an awesome post coming up :)


Ingredients:
lasagna sheets
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
4 cups milk
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 bag fresh spinach
2 cans artichokes, roughly chopped
100g ricotta
100g feta
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Make the bechamel: Melt the butter over medium heat in a pan and add flour. Cook 2 minutes, gently. Add milk, salt and pepper and bay leaf and turn up the heat. Cook, stirring until boiled and thickened. Add frozen spinach and heat through.

2. Layer in a greased baking dish bits of feta, ricotta, fresh spinach, artichokes and grated tasty cheese with the bechamel on top, then add a layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat twice more, finishing with bechamel and the grated parmesan.

3. Bake in a 200C oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until cheese is golden and bubbly and lasagna is cooked through.

Linky bitz...

♥ The linky will be up every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn't matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday - it's just an easy day to create the link.
♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you're feeling generous.
♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we're in it together!Where it says "Name", you might like to add the name of your dish instead or as well. 

Meatless Monday - pasta e fagioli

Pasta and what?

I remember picking up a can of beans many years ago and wondering what the hell a fagioli was and why was it in a can? Then I turned the can around and found out it was beans. I was still in my "OH MY GOD GROSS! WHY WOULD ANYONE EAT BEANS" phase, so put the can down and beat a hasty retreat.

Oh how naive and silly was I! Oh how delicious and good for you beans are! I'm more concerned about them being delicious, but the health factor is a nice bonus.

I sort of experimented a bit here, having never made this before and I worried it was too minestrone-like. But then I made some foccacia and topped my bowl with home-made pesto and stopped caring. it was good! I like the smooth richness of the saucy soup broken up by the perfectly-cooked mini penne. Just right for rainy day lunches and snuggly suppers on the couch. Both of which I indulged in.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 brown onion, diced small
1 tablespoon dried rosemary (still waiting for my seeds to grow!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can each borlotti beans and kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 litre veggie stock (you can use water)
1 cup tomato passata
1 tablespoon tomato paste
a pinch of sugar
2 cups cooked penne
salt and cracked black pepper
fresh basil

Directions:

1. Saute the garlic, celery and onion gently over medium heat 5-6 minutes until softened.

2. Add dried rosemary and oregano and cook 1 mintue.

3. Add beans, tomatoes, stock, passata, tomato paste and a pinch of sugar. Turn heat up and just bring to the boil, then turn it down and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can put a lid on, but I quite like how it naturally reduces and develops the flavours without it.

4. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Add the penne and torn fresh basil and serve with parmesan cheese and a good bread.

Linky bitz...

♥ The linky will be up every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn't matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday - it's just an easy day to create the link

♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you're feeling generous.

♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we're in it together!

Where it says "Name", you might like to add the name of your dish instead or as well.

 

Fresh egg fettuccine with tomato-chilli sugo

 Pin It

Yeah. It looks good, doesn't it?

What if I told you it takes less than 10 minutes?

It took longer for me because I like to slow-cook my sauces, but if I was in a hurry, I wouldn't bother. It is super-easy and just. so. good.

I do have to insist on fresh egg fettuccine, it makes such a difference. However, if your budget is under constraints, dry pasta would make this one of the cheapest dishes going. Some bread on the side, a bit of salad... you're looking at a pretty awesome dinner.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chilli, sliced (I used green)
1 can cherry tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil
fresh egg fettuccine

Directions:

1. Saute the onion, garlic and chilli in a little olive oil over medium-low heat. When soft, after about 10 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients except basil and simmer on low until you're ready to serve. It's ok if the onion picks up a little bit of colour during the saute.

2. Cook fettuccine according to packet directions (or if you've made your own - woohoo!). Add basil leaves to sauce.

3. Serve topped with sauce and torn basil over.

Yum!

Meatless Monday: Roast Mushroom fettuccine with cream and black pepper

I'm sorry.

Really, I am.

But this mushroom fettuccine was SO good, we ate it before we could photograph it. One bite and we were in love.

Ok, to be fair, there were a few strands left over in the frying pan and I was literally taking a photo while my husband was stealing bits. It's that addictive.

 I'm sorry.

Anyway, why dontcha make it yourself? Understand firsthand the deliciousness. You'll forgive us.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 kilo swiss brown mushrooms, sliced thick

2-3 tablespoons butter, depends on how psycho you are

pinch of fresh thyme

1/4 cup stock

300ml cream

handful grated parmesan

salt and cracked black pepper

Fresh fettuccine, cooked according to packet directions.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200C and spread the mushrooms out on an oiled tray.

2. Bake mushrooms 15-20 minutes until brown and starting to release their juices.

3. Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic 1 minute until soft.

4. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook 5 minutes.

5. Add stock and cream and turn heat to high.

6. Boil sauce until thickened and reduced slightly. Add parmesan.

7. Check for seasoning and serve with plenty of extra parmesan and cracked black pepper.

8. Forgive me.

Linky bitz...

♥ The linky will be up at 9am every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn't matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday - it's just an easy day to create the link!
♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you're feeling generous.
♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we're in it together!
Where it says "Name", you might like to add the name of your dish instead or as well.

parsley pesto pasta

 Pin It

After our garden overhaul, I was left with so. much. parsley.

Oh my gosh, it was the one thing that had soldiered on even when pretty much everything we grew got covered with bugs and weird stuff. We are learning, oh so slowly!

Anyhow, I couldn't bear to waste any of it, so we made two lots of parsley pesto and the world's biggest batch of tabbouleh... there's probably still some in the fridge somewhere. It was like the Magic Pudding, it never seemed to get any smaller!

I love the mix of pesto and pasta, so this was a no-brainer for me. I have no idea about amounts, I just threw whatever parsley would fit in my food processor with what looked like a lot of grated parmesan, a third of a packet of pine nuts (as I was making three batches), garlic, salt, and enough oil to ensure it looked pesto-ish.

I'm sorry! Worst recipe-writer EVER.

I stirred one batch into a mix of wholemeal and white penne (still working on the wholemeal pasta thing) with even more salt, basil, pepper, a huge piece of Danish feta and about 100ml of cream. 14 kilos of grated parmesan on top. Delicious dinner from the garden.

Now sort of hoping the new batch of parsely goes crazy again...


PS thank you all for the birthday wishes. I am overwhelmed at how thoughtful, kind, generous and all-round awesome you guys are who come and read mah stuff. Party on, Wayne!

Gnocchi with Cherry Tomatoes and Cream

 Pin It

Lately, my cherry tomato bush has been inundated with beautifully sweet, juicy red bubbles. I think Veggie Dad overdosed on them at one point, and I've been taking a punnet with me wherever I go. There is nothing better than tiny tomatoes you've grown yourself... I know it's cliche, but there will never be a tomato in the supermarket that will taste anywhere near as good.

Usually I like to roast tomatoes until they caramelise and burst open a little, letting their delicious insides spill out everywhere... and there's the times when I like to put them in a frying pan with a little butter and a lot of garlic... and cook them slowly... and add cream... and try not to eat it like a soup instead of having it with pasta. This was one of those times.

Ingredients:
1-2 tbs butter
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
300ml cream
salt
grated parmesan
cooked gnocchi

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat.

2. Add tomatoes and garlic and saute gently until the tomatoes start to pop, 5 minutes or so.

3. Add cream and bring to the boil briefly.

4. Turn down the heat and add parmesan, as much as you like. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

5. Simmer until sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Feel free to squash your tomatoes to release extra juicy goodness.

6. Stir in gnocchi and serve with extra parmesan on top and a twist of black pepper.

Lentil and balsamic tomato pappardelle

Pin It

Spaghetti Bolognese is one of those ubiquitous dishes. Everybody eats it, everybody cooks it, everybody likes it.

Except me.

Maybe because we had it upwards of three times a week (may be an exaggeration... but not much!), maybe because I don't like the way spaghetti feels in my mouth, maybe because I just don't like tomato pasta sauce. I don't know. I rarely never cook it and pretty much never want to eat it.

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, QUIT CALLING IT SPAG BOG.

It makes me think of a toilet.

Mr Veggie Dad finds my bolognese aversion tough going, as he really likes it. And he makes a mean version too, just quietly. Sometimes I make similar sorts of things, like this lentil dish, and it seems to suffice. Want to cut down on meat? (And since when did mince get so expensive? I thought it was just snouts and tendons...) throw in some lentils. Add something, anything, for the love of god other than spaghetti and hey... even I might eat it.

Cover it in parmesan and I'm your man.

You could make this even better (and I have), by roasting halved tomatoes until soft. Then squashing them with salt and balsamic and adding to the lentils. YUM.

It's easy, quick and good for you. A delicious dish on a cold night with a sneaky red. You know you want to.

Oh and don't forget the garlic bread. Tell 'em Veggie Mama sent ya.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can green lentils

1 can chopped tomatoes

A good splash of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
a pinch of sugar
salt and cracked black pepper
Fresh pappardelle pasta, or cut your own from fresh lasagna sheets.


Directions:

1. Heat some oil or butter in a saucepan and fry onion over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and fry 1 minute.

2. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes. The longer you do, the richer and better it will taste.

3. Cook pappardelle according to package directions.

4. Test your sauce for seasoning, add to pasta, cover the lot with parmesan.

5. Never eat spaghetti bolognese again.


Seriously... am I the only one that doesn't like it?

1.

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

 I don't know about you, but in summer it is super-hot where I live. I'm always on the lookout for recipes that don't take too long on a steamy night, and one that I can eat outdoors with a nice cold wine* and good company. Preferably only with a fork. And that doesn't require too much washing up. I still haven't found a recipe that will make itself, sadly.

Thanks to Martha Stewart here is a very easy, quick dish that won't have you slaving over a hot stove or oven for too long, but is a little more substantial than a salad. You could really throw anything you like in, asparagus would be nice, some different colour squash... but it's hot, and I'm heavily pregnant and I just couldn't. be. bothered. That's why I love this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 zucchini
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Two handfuls grape tomatoes
1 package gnocchi
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 tablespoon butter
Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and grape tomatoes and saute five or so minutes more. You can squash the tomatoes a little as they collapse, which adds to the sauce.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi according to package instructions.

4. When they float to the surface, spoon them out with a little water and into the frying pan. Toss and add basil, cheese, butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add a little more pasta water if it's looking too dry.

Serve with a generous helping of cracked black pepper and some extra parmesan.

Serves 4.



*Wine! Wherefore art thou, wine? A crisp white, a velvety red... a glass of port. I miss you. It's been too long. Have you waited for me? I told you I'd come back... not long now....
Original recipe here

Baked Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli and Spinach

It shouldn't be news to anybody that reads my blog regularly that I love baked anything with cheese. Sometimes I feel sorry for those on a diet or who are looking for low fat dishes ... I often don't have those! However, if some kind of pasta bake with veggies in it is what you're looking for, I have the answer.

Ingredients:
1 packet  frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
450g broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
1 package cheese ravioli (or whatever you desire)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese

Directions:

1. Bring large stockpot of water to a boil.
2. Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.
3. As water heats up to a boil, heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add olive oil and chopped garlic, and saute for about 1 minute.
5. Next, add drained spinach to the pan, along with the steamed broccoli.
6. Toss vegetable well with garlic oil to coat evenly.
7. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat into a bowl, and set aside.
9. For the sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour into the butter and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
10. Add stock, raise heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking the entire time.
11. Slowly whisk in milk and parmesan, and let mixture bubble for about 2 more minutes until thickened.
12. Season sauce with nutmeg (if desired) and salt and pepper.
13. For the pasta: When pasta water is boiling add salt, stir, and add ravioli.
14. Cook according to package directions until slightly underdone.
15. Place a thin layer of the white sauce in an oven proof casserole dish.
16. Drain ravioli.
17. Layer ½ of the ravioli in the baking dish.
18. Next add ½ of the broccoli/spinach mixture Add a couple ladles of the sauce to cover this first layer, a little more than half of it.
19. Add the rest of the vegetable mixture, then the remaining half of the ravioli.
20. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top (a little less than half of it) and top with grated cheese of your choice.
21. Place casserole dish under the broiler or in oven about 8 or so inches from the element.
22. Broil about 5 minutes until cheese melts and is bubbly and starting to brown.

Original recipe here

Artichoke Ravioli with Tomatoes

Oh boy. ohboyohboyohboyohboy.

I know tons of people that clip recipes and save them for "someday", but never end up making them. Actually, the first thing people ask me when I tell them I have thousands of recipes saved is "yeah, but do you actually make them?" and then are genuinely surprised when I say yes. Part of the reason for this blog is that I was always making something new from a recipe I found somewhere. My point to all this rambling is if this recipe looks good to you, PLEASE make it. It is so unbelievable and SO worth you breaking from your regular cooking routine.

Please.

I have adapted this recipe from Epicurious because I couldn't be bothered making my own ravioli dough. Understandable, right?!

This would probably serve 2 very generously as a main dish, but feel free to double.

Ingredients:
1 packet refrigerated wonton wrappers (mine had 30, which was just right).
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt, pepper
1 large egg white

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medim tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup water
1 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Heat butter in frying pan over moderately high heat and saute onion, stirring occasionally about 6 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and saute 2 minutes. Remove and cool slightly.
3. Add cheese, parsley, yolk, lemon juice, salt, pepper. You can put it in the food processor  but I didn't bother.
4. Lay out half your wonton wrappers and place a scant tablespoon mixture on each one. Brush around edges with egg white and stick the top wonton wrapper on.
5. Cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

6. While ravioli is cooking, saute the chopped tomatoes with the butter and olive oil for 1 minute. Add water and cook, stirring 5 minutes until soft.

7. Place a layer of ravioli in greased baking dish and top with 1/3 cream, tomatoes and cheese. Repeat.

8. Bake uncovered until ravioli is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

9. Drool.


Next time I'm thinking of making this into a lasagna, just to cut even more corners!






Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Artichoke-Ravioli-with-Tomatoes-236983#ixzz18AjUq2XZ

Spaghetti with tomato and wine cream

Er... yum.

Inspired by a recipe from The Pioneer Woman (when aren't I?) that contained chicken, I decided to see if I could make a pasta sauce with wine and cream, something I *gasp!* have never done before.

What happened next was a miracle. Well it sure tasted like one, anyway.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter
2 cloves garlic
1 onion, diced finely
handful of button mushrooms, sliced
1 can crushed tomatoes, drained
1 cup good white wine (don't ever cook with something you wouldn't drink!)
150ml cream
2 tablespoons green olives
1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with one teaspoon water
spaghetti, cooked according to packet instructions.

Method

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a reasonably deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. Add the mushrooms and cook two more minutes.

3. Add the drained tomatoes and wine and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes before adding the cream and olives.

4. You have two choices here - boil until the sauce reduces and becomes slightly thick, or boil 10 minutes and then turn down the heat and add the cornflour mix. I was hungry, so option B it was.

5. Serve with the spaghetti, some parmesan, black pepper and good bread.

Gnocchi with lemon cream and basil

Yes, I'm afraid of tomato-based pasta sauces and will nine times out of 10 choose a creamy one.

I promise, there will be a low-fat pasta sauce on this blog at some point in my life.

Ingredients

1/2 cup stock

300ml cream

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

Pepper

a handful of spinach (or more if you want... it wilts down dramatically)

1/2 cup parmesan

8-10 basil leaves, chiffonade (sliced thinly) or torn (better option)

gnocchi

Method

1. Put stock, cream, zest and garlic into a frying pan and boil vigorously until reduced to about half. The sauce needs to be fairly thick to coat the pasta. It will take 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to let it boil over!

2. Add pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan, spinach and most of the basil, reserving some for the top.

3. Cook gnoochi according to packet directions and drain. Add to the sauce.

4. I like to serve mine with chopped fresh tomato on top with the remaining basil and a serve of garlic bread.

Creamy sundried tomato and roasted pumpkin pasta

If you're watching your weight, I'm sorry.

If you don't like rich, flavourful food, well, I'm sorry for that too.

If you don't like easy pasta dinners, then you're nuts.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

200g pumpkin, cut into small cubes

1 cup stock

200ml cream (I used light.. )

pepper

fresh basil leaves

penne pasta

Method:

1. Put the pumpkin in a tray and spray with oil. Bake in preheated, fairly hot oven (200-210C) for 15-12 minutes until cooked. I was in a hurry and threw them under the grill/broiler for a few minutes each side.

2. Prepare pasta according to packet directions.

3. Meanwhile, simmer chopped sundried tomatoes in the stock about 10 minutes until plump. After 5 minutes, add the cream and pepper.

3. Add pumpkin to cream mixture, and tear basil leaves over. Stir to mix.

4. Pour over the pasta.

Mediterranean Roasted Tomato Pasta

Who doesn't love a good pasta? It's easy, it tastes amazing, and you really need a side dish for your garlic bread, right?

So today, as part of my work, I got to tour the Gourmet Garden factory in Palmwoods, on the Sunshine Coast.

You've all seen those squeezy tubes of herbs and things in the refrigerated fruit and veggie section of the supermarket... garlic, basil, lemongrass (my favourite... no hard bits!), etc, and their new Fresh Blends.

The factory was amazing, and Dominique Rizzo (of Ready, Steady, Cook! fame) served up some delicious treats using Gourmet Garden products.

So, obviously, I had to try it too. They make it look so easy.....

My herb/blend of choice was the Mediterranean blend that is made of oregano, basil, garlic, bell peppers and olive oil.

Ingredients


5 Roma tomatoes, cut in half and roasted with olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper until very soft
2 zucchinis... as above
1 onion, diced
about 1/2 tube Gourmet Garden Fresh Blends Mediterranean
Wholewheat penne 


(Yup, that's really it. Well, besides the parmesan we added later!)


Method


1. Boil your pasta in boiling salted water until tender. Not sure how? Instructions are on the pack :)


2. Saute your onion in olive oil and half a tube of Mediterranean Blend. It's about two tablespoons. Saute until cooked, about 5-6 minutes at medium heat.


3. Put tomatoes and zucchini in a bowl and mash. Mmmmmm!

4. Add onion to sauce, check for seasoning. Stir through pasta and voila! Easy peasy pasta.


5. Don't forget the crusty bread.




I was not paid or in any way sponsored for this post... I was just curious, is all!

Roasted Cauliflower Penne with Rosemary Cream

Poor cauliflower. A much-maligned vegetable. That is, of course unless it's covered in cheese sauce, or wallowing in glorious creaminess as soup.

I never knew roasting it could be so damn good.

Unfortunately its white-on-whiteness doesn't photograph well, but it IS delicious.

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic, halved

1 cup cream

3 sprigs rosemary, 1 sprig finely chopped

A pinch of ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta

1 head cauliflower, roasted

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more to pass around the table

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

To roast the cauliflower, preheat your oven to 220 C. toss bite-size florets in olive oil, add salt and pepper. bake for 30 minutes. Oh so sweet and uber-delicious.

Method

1. Rub the inside of a small saucepan all over with the garlic. Add the cream, the two whole rosemary sprigs and the nutmeg; season with pepper and cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Discard the rosemary.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Add the rosemary cream, cauliflower and Pecorino Romano cheese; toss to coat.

3. Season with salt and pepper and top with the walnuts and chopped rosemary. Pass more cheese around the table. Easy peasy.

It's almost Rachael Ray week on Veggie Mama... haha. Recipe here.