Category Archives: Vegetable Main Dishes

Mediterranean Pasta

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I’ll never forget the first time I had this pasta.

words

It was the end of the summer of 2011. I had just returned home from working in Florida for the summer. I was at my parents house, and Greg was there, too. My mom had told me that she just made a new pasta recipe and she could not wait for me to try it.

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We sat outside for this meal and I remember sitting there, huge plate of pasta in front of me.

I will never forget that first bite. I’m like that. I forget a lot of things (like important things). But I never forget the first bite of something completely decadent.

I don’t remember exactly how much I ate that night, but I know that it was a lot. That pasta was like the best new thing for me.

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My mom and I have each made this pasta many times since that night in summer of 2011. This version, the one I am sharing with you today, is my favorite way to do it. It is a staple dinner, although admittedly, one that I haven’t made for awhile. It was so nice to have this pasta again. 

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The first time I ate this Mediterranean pasta, it had shrimp in it. It is amazing that way. If you have a desire to put shrimp in it, do it. You’ll be happy. But rest assured, it is just as good without. For a quick yet delicious weeknight dinner, I prefer it without. It comes together more quickly. 

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The roasted tomatoes in this pasta are mind-blowing. Use any tomatoes that you have. We often times use cherry tomatoes, but when I made it for this post, I had a couple of different varieties from Three Springs. The flavor + texture that roasted tomatoes lend to pasta is truly perfect. Add in some feta cheese and you’ll never want another pasta again. Promise.

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I load my Mediterranean pasta with spinach for health and bulk. I love me some pasta loaded with greens. And olives, a Mediterranean staple, are fantastic in this. 

You’ll see in the recipe that I gave ranges for the amount of feta and olives you add. Use more or less depending on your own specific taste. The combination of flavors is what is important, the amounts are up to you. 🙂

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This is a simple, healthy and filling meal. I hope that you get to try this pasta and that your first bite is just as memorable as mine. 🙂

Mediterranean Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. 1 package noodles (I prefer a thick noodle, like fettuccine)
  2. 2 cups tomatoes
  3. Olive oil
  4. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  5. Salt and pepper
  6. 1/2 - 3/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
  7. About 5 handfuls baby spinach
  8. 1/2 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Cut tomatoes into small chunks, all about equal in size.
  3. Place tomatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized.
  5. While tomatoes are roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions.
  6. When tomatoes and noodles are done cooking, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the empty pasta cooking pot.
  7. Add the minced garlic and cook for several minutes.
  8. Add in the spinach, roughly tearing the leaves as you add them to the pot.
  9. Stir the spinach and garlic.
  10. Add the cooked noodles, roasted tomatoes, chopped olives and crumbled feta.
  11. Stir together well.
  12. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. The amounts of olives, spinach and feta are up to you. If you love olives, add more, if not, add less. Same with feta and spinach. Use amounts that make you happy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Curry Stuffed Peppers with Chickpeas + Carrots

2 Replies

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I know, I know.

peas

 

carrots

Another curry recipe.

peppers

I told you I’m obsessed. 🙂

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I really, truly can’t get enough curry lately. 

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This recipe is it. I am down right obsessed. This recipe has turned me into a stuffed pepper person.

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I never have been. Stuffed peppers have never been something I have desired. They always just seemed sort of bland, sort of boring. Is anyone with me on that?

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But these. These peppers are full of flavor. They are bursting with it. They could not be stuffed enough. There could not be enough rice in the world to satisfy my craving for these. I want to eat them forever and ever. 

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If you like curry + rice, you have got to try these. They are super easy too!

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Just make some rice. Make a simple curry sauce with coconut milk, curry paste, some lime juice and fish sauce. Oh, and don’t leave out the lime juice and fish sauce! They are essential to the taste, I promise!

Add some beans + veggies. I did chickpeas + carrots. You can do what you’d like, really. Add the beans + veggies that you like.

Mix the sauce with the rice and stuff that into some peppers. Yep, that’s it. Just add some baking time, during which you should pour yourself a glass of wine, and then you get to enjoy these plump, delicious beauties! 

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Yes, you will want to lick your plate. I did.

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This may be my only recipe this week, you guys, but it’s one I stand behind with my entire heart. It’s extra special.

Hope you enjoy!

 

Curry Stuffed Peppers with Chickpeas + Carrots
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Ingredients
  1. 4-6 bell peppers
  2. 1 cup rice
  3. 2 cups water
  4. Olive oil
  5. Salt
  6. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  7. 4 small shallots, sliced
  8. 2 - 15 ounce cans coconut milk
  9. 5 tablespoons red curry paste
  10. 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  11. Juice from 1/2 lime
  12. 4 medium carrots, chopped
  13. 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400*.
  2. Get the rice started. I used 1 cup dry jasmine rice and 2 cups of water and cooked it for about 30 minutes. Follow your rice package cooking instructions.
  3. While the rice is cooking, start the curry sauce.
  4. Add a small drizzle of olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and sliced shallots, and cook for several minutes, until softened and slightly brown.
  6. Add the coconut milk to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  7. Once simmering, add the red curry paste and whisk until fully incorporated.
  8. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and salt to taste and stir well.
  9. Before adding the veggies, reserve about 1 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl for topping the peppers.
  10. Add the chopped carrots and chickpeas to the sauce and stir well.
  11. Let the sauce cook over low heat for several minutes, to slightly soften the carrots.
  12. While you are cooking the sauce, cut off the top of each bell pepper. Scoop out the inside flesh and seeds and rinse them well. Set aside.
  13. Add the cooked rice to the curry sauce and mix well.
  14. Spoon the curry/rice mixture into the hollowed out peppers.
  15. Spoon some of the reserved curry sauce on the bottom of a baking pan.
  16. Place the peppers on top of the sauce and spoon some more sauce on top of the peppers.
  17. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until peppers are soft.
  18. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Curry Eggplant Pizza

2 Replies

I’ve made a pizza for you.

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Let me tell you about it.

It has eggplant. And curry hummus. And caramelized onions. And goat cheese. And toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. 

Would you like some?

eggplatn1

I have been CRAZY about curry lately. I’ve loved the flavor since I first tried it. But lately, I can’t get it out of my mind.

There is a Thai place close to us that has the best curry dishes. My favorite (one I literally think about every single day) is a yellow curry. It is creamy and slightly spicy, and on top of a bowl of rice, heavenly. 

And, I’ve been eating curried egg salad lately. I will hard boil some eggs, chop them up and mix with a dab of mayo (this one), a pinch of salt and pepper and a healthy dose of curry powder. I am in love with that.

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So, we have had all of this beautiful eggplant from Three Springs and I have been thinking about curry-ing it for a bit now. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to do it, but this pizza is the end result. 

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I made some simple hummus: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and then: the curry. Yes, this hummus is packed with curry flavor. So, so good. 

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The hummus acts as the sauce on this pizza. I like this idea because I am always looking for unique alternatives to traditional red sauce pizza. It is a delicious and healthy alternative. I look forward to trying more hummus pizzas! 

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Also, let’s talk about the extras on this pizza. The toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Not the main ingredients but equally as important as anything else. The toasted sesame seeds add flavor + crunch and the cilantro adds the most amazing, fresh flavor. These toppings are necessities for this pizza. 

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I hope that everyone has a wonderful Friday night and maybe enjoys some curry eggplant pizza with it!

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Curry Eggplant Pizza
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Ingredients
  1. One pizza crust (your favorite!)
  2. 1 large eggplant
  3. Olive oil
  4. 1 medium red onion, sliced
  5. 3-4 ounces goat cheese
  6. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  7. Large bunch of cilantro
For the curry hummus
  1. 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
  2. 1/4 cup sesame tahini
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. Juice from 1/2 a lemon
  5. Salt and pepper
  6. 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
  7. 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. For the toasted sesame seeds: preheat the oven to 400*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Set aside.
  2. To make the curry hummus, add the chickpeas, tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and the curry powder to a food processor.
  3. Process for several minutes, slowly drizzling in the olive oil.
  4. Process until smooth.
  5. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and curry powder to your taste. Set aside.
  6. Slice the eggplant very thin. I found that the thinner the slice, the better it was on the pizza.
  7. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat.
  8. Once the oil is hot, add the eggplant, in batches, until all eggplant is cooked. It should be cooked on higher heat the entire time so it gets a bit crispy.
  9. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a small pan over medium-high heat.
  10. Add the sliced onion, and cook until golden brown and a bit caramelized.
  11. Spread a layer of hummus over the prepared pizza crust. Top with onions, then cheese, then eggplant.
  12. Cook according to your crusts instructions. Mine was an unbaked pizza crust, so I baked it for about 18 minutes.
  13. Once baked, top the pizza with the toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro.
  14. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. Make sure to slice the eggplant thin and cook it over high heat in the pan to get it crispy, sort of like an eggplant "chip."
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

One Pot Fajita Pasta

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Do you like fajitas?

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Do you like pasta?

noodles

So…how about fajita pasta?

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Are you on board?

Am I crazy?

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I know. This is different. Maybe crossing a couple of culinary lines. 

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But I was thinking one day. I love the flavor of fajitas. I love the veggies involved. Peppers, onions and tomatoes with a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. I love them. And, I love noodles. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with spaghetti noodles. 

So, I thought, why not bring the amazingness of fajita flavor to some noodles. It’ll make those noodles happy. 

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Here’s what I told a maybe slightly skeptical Greg: a noodle is really just a vehicle for flavor. Yes, it may be that we’re used to that flavor being tomato sauce and cheese or white sauce and veggies, but why can’t we put any flavor on those noodles! 

So, that’s just what I did. And! Even better, I went with this new one pot method.

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I first saw the idea on Pinterest. I love the idea. Then Pami, of A Crust Eaten, made the pasta, and I was inspired. I decided then that I wanted to make it, too. 

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I think her version with tomato, garlic and basil sounds sooo good. I would like to try that soon. You should definitely check it out, too.

But, I just thought this fajita idea would work. I just wanted to taste fajitas on noodles. 

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For anyone reading this who doesn’t know about the one pot pasta method it is this: Place all pasta ingredients (noodles, water, veggies, seasoning) into a pot, bring to a boil, cover and turn down heat, wait 15 minutes, and you have a complete pasta dish! Everything cooks together, making a yummy, creamy sauce from the starch that’s released from the noodles. How much better can that get?

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One pot pasta is big. The flavor possibilities are endless. I’m loving this fajita version. But I want to make more! 

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I will say, this version won’t be for everyone. It is a bit spicy. The spice in my recipe comes from the cumin and the poblano pepper. If you want to try this, but don’t want the spice, leave out some or all of the cumin. If you do leave it out, I would try using one of those fajita spice packets instead, or whatever seasoning you usually use for fajitas. You could also leave out the poblano pepper and use all sweet peppers. 

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So, what do you guys think? I hope that you try this. I’ve eaten it three days in a row and can’t get enough. Share your thoughts! 

 

One Pot Fajita Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. 1 package spaghetti noodles
  2. 1 green bell pepper
  3. 1 poblano pepper
  4. 1-2 red bell peppers
  5. 1 medium onion
  6. 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  7. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon cumin
  8. 1 teaspoon black pepper
  9. 1 teaspoon onion powder
  10. 1 teaspoon salt
  11. Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  12. 4 1/2 cups water
Instructions
  1. Thinly slice the peppers and onion.
  2. Place all ingredients into a large pot over high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, give it a stir, turn down heat and cover.
  5. Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 12-15 minutes, or until noodles are cooked through and water is absorbed.
  6. Taste, and season more accordingly.
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. If you don't want this to be overly spicy, leave out the poblano pepper and use less or no cumin.
  2. If you don't use cumin, maybe try one of the fajita seasoning packets instead!
  3. After the pasta is done, it may need more seasoning according to your taste. Add until you get it where you like it. It's easier to add seasoning than to take it away!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Smoked Salmon Quiche

5 Replies

I’m so excited to share this with you.

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This quiche is really good, you guys. 

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toms

From what I see, you all really like this heirloom tomato + pesto quiche. Yes, that quiche has wonderful flavor. So, I can’t wait for you to try this!

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I tried smoked salmon for the first time when I was 17 or 18. My dad and brother are avid fishermen and brought home a smoked salmon from one of their trips. It was definitely love at first bite for me. I love the stuff!

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I used to eat smoked salmon on crackers with a spread of mustard. If you haven’t tried that, I think you should. Such a simple, delicious snack. Just talking about it makes me want it now!

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Over the years, I got more adventurous with my smoked salmon eating. I’ve ordered smoked salmon quiche in restaurants and I’ve also had it in an omelet. Smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, lettuce and tomato? Yes, please.

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Anyway, as you can see, I love it. And this quiche is my new favorite thing. I took one bite and then the whole piece was gone entirely too fast. I declared that I would be making this all the time now.

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And I really could! It’s so easy to prepare. Smoked salmon is ready to go once you buy it, with no preparation. Isn’t that nice?

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For this quiche, I used a store-bought whole wheat crust. I still don’t have that crust making down yet.

Some other tips: It’s important to let the cream cheese soften for this. Once softened, it is much easier to mix with the fresh dill and chives. I really do suggest using fresh herbs here. I’m sure you could use dried if you want, but the fresh herbs taste so good in this.

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Also, use any tomatoes you would like. I used two small San Marzano tomatoes from Three Springs. From what I hear, they are awesome sauce tomatoes, but they also worked wonderfully in this quiche.

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The last thing about this is the capers. Just a small amount adds something really special to this quiche. They are little bits of goodness and go so well with smoked salmon. 

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The flavor of this quiche is out of this world. It’s the right combination of cheese, fresh herbs, veggies, salmon and eggs. I do hope that you get to try this quiche and I hope that you enjoy every single bite!

Smoked Salmon Quiche
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Ingredients
  1. 1 pie crust (choose your favorite!)
  2. 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  3. 1 tablespoon mix of fresh dill and chives, lightly chopped
  4. Pinch of onion powder
  5. 2 small or 1 medium tomato, diced
  6. 4 ounces smoked salmon
  7. 1 1/2 tablespoons capers
  8. 4 eggs
  9. 1 cup milk (I used whole)
  10. Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375*.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, chopped dill and chives and pinch of onion powder.
  3. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bottom and sides of the prepared pie crust. Once spread, there should be a thin layer the entire way around (see photo above).
  4. On top of the cheese layer, add the diced tomatoes.
  5. Add small pieces of the smoked salmon on top of the tomatoes.
  6. Add the capers on top of the salmon.
  7. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add salt and pepper.
  8. Pour the egg mixture into the crust.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat to 400* and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until the quiche is set.
  10. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. Baking times may vary. Start watching your quiche after 15 minutes in the 400* oven.
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/