Category: Italian

Polenta with Spinach, Beets and Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp.  plant-based butter
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 cup chopped cooked beets
  • 1 cup fresh spinach

Polenta

  1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour cornmeal slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until there are no lumps.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until cornmeal starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
  3. Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts.

Garlic, Mushrooms, Spinach and Beets

  1. Saute mushrooms and garlic in 1 tbsp. olive oil for five minutes.
  2. Add cooked beets and fresh spinach.
  3. Stir until spinach is slightly wilted.
  4. Spoon polenta unto dish and top with vegetables.

Nutrition Facts (Per 2-Cup Serving)

  • Calories: ~380-400 kcal
  • Total Fat: ~15g
    • Saturated Fat: ~3-5g
  • Carbohydrates: ~55-58g
    • Fiber: ~5-7g
    • Sugars: ~3-5g
  • Protein: ~6-8g
  • Sodium: ~1,800 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Simple Arrabbiata and Peas

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of Aldi’s or Trader Joe’s frozen Spaghetti Arrabbiata
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas

Steps

  1. Add arrabbiata with water and tomatoes to skillet and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add peas halfway into cooking. Stir well.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 2
Calories 439
Total Fat 11.3 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 603 mg
Total Sugars 10 g
Protein 16 g

Optional: Add nutritional yeast as a topper to spaghetti.

Vegan Pesto

Ingredients

  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, macadamia nuts or walnuts
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • Add salt to taste

Steps

  1. Chop garlic and pine nuts in food processor. Add basil, olive oil, pepper and combine until a loose paste forms.
  2. Serve with pasta and veggies such as sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or parboiled potatoes and green beans. Makes about one cup of pesto.

Nutrition Facts per 1/4 Cup Serving:

  • Calories: 260-300 kcal
  • Sugar: ~0.3-0.5 grams
  • Sodium: ~2-5 mg (excluding added salt)
  • Fat: ~28-32 grams
    • Saturated Fat: ~4.5-5 grams
  • Carbohydrates: ~1.5-2 grams
  • Fiber: ~0.5-1 gram
  • Protein: ~2.5-3 grams
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Basil, Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces bow-tie pasta
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted and cooled
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

  1. Cook pasta for 14 minutes according to package directions. Rinse and cool pasta in a large bowl.
  2. Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic and oil in food processor.
  3. Add basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes to pasta. Mix well.
  4. Add red peppers flakes, salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Serve arugula over the pasta.

Quick Tomato and Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. sphagetti
  • 1 containers of Refrigerated Vegan Kale Cashew Basil Pesto from Trader Joes
  • 2 cans of Aldi’s Happy Harvest basil, garlic and oregano diced tomatoes
  • Lemon pepper seasoning to taste
  • Vegan parmesan to taste

Steps

  1. Add the spaghetti to a large pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
  2. In the same pot, heat the diced tomatoes.
  3. Add the pesto sauce and spaghetti and mix well. Top with lemon pepper and vegan parmesan cheese.

Herbed Garlic Bread

Ingredients

  • 4T Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread at room temperature-may use less
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • 3 T chopped flat-leaf parsley- I use more
  • 1 loaf French bread 

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine butter, garlic and parsley in a small bowl.

3. Slice the bread into 1 inch sections.

4. Spread the butter into each slice.

5. Wrap the bread in foil, leaving the top exposed.

6. Heat for 20 min. 

7. Serve in a basket, wrapped in a napkin.

Freeze

  1. Divide the herbed garlic bread into two or three loaves. Wrap each loaf in parchment paper and foil, then freeze until needed.
  2. Take out of the freezer. Keep the aluminum foil on and place in the oven. Cook at 350° for 15 minutes.
  3. Open the foil to allow the steam to release.
  4. Change the oven temperature to 450° and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Vegan Roasted Pepper and Tomatoes Flatbread

Ingredients

  • 2 green bell peppers cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 2 red bell peppers cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup green olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup of Aldi’s Simply Nature Stir-In Paste Basil
  • Aldi Stone Oven Baked Artisan Flatbread, 2 pack
  • 1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
  • Dash of red pepper flakes
  • Aldi’s Earth Grown Vegan Mozarella Style Shreds
  • Sprinkle of Aldi’s Who Needs the Bagel Seasoning

Steps

  1. Line two 9 by 13 inch baking pans with aluminum foil. Add some cooking spray on foil.
  2. Spread peppers on pans and roast for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven.
  3. Line small baking pan with aluminum foil and add some cooking spray on foil.
  4. Roast onions in pan for 13 minutes.
  5. Remove vegetables from pan and line pans with fresh aluminum foil.
  6. Place flatbread on each pan and spread pesto over the flatbread.
  7. Spread vegetables evenly over flatbreads.
  8. Sprinkle rosemary, basil, and red pepper, and vegan cheese over vegetables.
  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes two flatbreads.

Pasta Aglio Olio with Veggies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped steamed broccoli
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup chopped fresh flat parsley
  • 16 ounces uncooked linguine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tbsp. pasta water
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  1. Chop broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, parsley and halve cherry tomatoes. Steam broccoli and set aside.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding 1/2 teaspoon salt to water. Reserve 2 Tbsp. pasta water. Drain and return to pot.
  3. Combine garlic, mushrooms and olive oil in a cold skillet. Cook over low-medium heat to slowly toast garlic.
  4. Stir pasta water, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and sea salt into the pasta. Add in olive oil garlic/mushroom mixture and broccoli. Add tomatoes, lemon and parsley. Stir until combined.

Optional: To save time, omit broccoli, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and top pasta with vegan parmesan cheese.

Annie’s Herbed Orzo

To prepare ahead of time, chop scallions, red onion and cucumber the night before.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. of orzo
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
  • 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
  • 1/3 cup small-diced red onion 
  • 1 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup medium cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and diced
  • 3/4 cup Follow Your Heart Vegan Feta Crumbles

Steps

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s cooked al dente. Add 1 cup cold water to pot and drain and pour into a large bowl.

2. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

3. Add the scallions, red onion, dill, and parsley (can be chopped in a food processor).

4. Add cucumber and vegan feta. Toss well. 

5. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate.