Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara

I know this may sound a little weird, since bacon is one of the main ingredients in pasta carbonara. But I was making it for Ace last week to use up some pancetta I had in my refrigerator, so I decided to try to make a vegetarian version for myself using veggie bacon. It was awesome! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the veggie bacon added enough of a salty, smoky flavor that it really tasted similar to traditional carbonara. I also added onions, which I don't believe are traditional in this recipe, but added a nice extra layer of flavor. This is still a pretty unhealthy meal, but taking out all the bacon fat has to help, right?




Olive Oil - 3 turns around the pan
Butter - a generous pat, maybe a tablespoon
Spaghetti - 1 pound, cooked to al dente
Yellow or White Onion - 1/4, diced
Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves, chopped
Veggie Bacon - 6 strips, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used MorningStar brand)
Parmesan Cheese - Grated, a handful
Parsley - chopped, a small handful
Eggs - 2, beaten
Crushed Red Pepper
Salt and Pepper


Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, saute 2 to 3 minutes more. Add veggie bacon, saute until cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add pasta, toss to coat with bacon, onions, garlic, and oil. Add eggs, toss until pasta is coated, being careful not to let eggs scramble. Add cheese, red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss and serve. Serves 4.


Note - Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that leftovers don't reheat well. The eggs make them kind of chewy. You'll be better off just stuffing yourself the night you make it and eating it all.

Valentine's Day Pancakes

Pancakes are one of the easiest breakfasts you can make (besides cereal and milk, I guess), but for some reason the people you make them for seem to appreciate them like you've slaved over them all morning. This morning, I tried to be cute for Valentine's Day, so I added white chocolate and strawberries. It was like dessert for breakfast, and the bf loved it!

One Batch Prepared Pancake Mix*

White Chocolate Chips - 1 cup

Dried Cranberries - 1 cup

Strawberries - large, about four; two quartered and two cut into fans**

Butter, Maple Syrup, Cocoa Powder

Preheat a griddle or skillet to medium high heat (about 375 degrees, if using a griddle). Add chocolate chips and cranberries to pancake batter. Melt a little butter or lightly spray oil onto the griddle or skillet to make sure the pancakes won't stick. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour pancake batter onto griddle or skillet; this should make small - medium sized pancakes. Once pancakes begin to make bubbles that don't close and edges look dry (probably 5 min at most), flip with a spatula. Allow to cook for one minute more. Arrange on plate with strawberries, serve with butter and maple syrup and cocoa powder for dusting.

*I've tried making pancakes from scratch several times, and unfortunately they never seem to turn out quite as tasty as when I make them with pancake mix. If you're better than I am at making pancake batter, by all means, make them from scratch! If not, there are a lot of good pancake mixes out there (you don't have to use Bisquick!). Whole Foods sells a store-brand whole wheat pancake mix that's cheap and tastes great.

**To make strawberry fans - cut two large strawberries into thin sections lengthwise, leaving the sections connected at the top near the leaves. Spread the sections gently into a fan, being careful that they don't come apart.

Veggie "Chicken" Noodle Soup

Here's another of my recent soup creations. This one mimics chicken soup surprisingly well. The first time I made it, I added the noodles uncooked and they kind of came apart in the soup and made it really thick (more of a stew than a soup). I didn't really mind the consistency, but if you're looking for something more like traditional chicken soup, add the noodles cooked to al dente a few minutes before you're ready to serve.

Extra Firm Tofu* - One 14 oz package, cut into approx 1 inch cubes

Olive Oil - Three turns around the pan

Yellow Onion - One, diced

Celery - Three to four ribs, chopped

Carrots - Three to four, peeled and sliced

Garlic - Two to three cloves, finely chopped

Vegetable Broth - Three containers (96 oz)

Poultry Seasoning - Two tsp (use fresh if you can find it, if not, dried is okay)

Egg Noodles - One 16 oz pkg, cooked to al dente

Salt and Pepper - to taste (I needed to add a decent amount of salt to make it taste right to me)

*Coat tofu with soy sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook two to three minutes more. Turn heat to medium low and add broth. Add poulty seasoning. Simmer at least thirty minutes. Add tofu and noodles, season with salt and pepper. Serves at least six.

*Note - leftovers may need to be reconstituted with 1-2 cups water or broth.

Mirepoix - did you know that was a word?

I didn't. I just Googled it and learned something new. I'm into making soups lately, and I'm finding that there are about a million different kinds of vegetarian soups that you can make that are delicious (see the Black Bean Soup recipe below). The reason I bring this up is that many of these soup recipes begin with onion, celery, and carrot sauteed in butter or oil. From what I've just learned via Google, this "holy trinity" is a french concoction referred to as a mirepoix, and is the base for many soups and stews. Although I didn't know the word for it, I did know that this simple combination of flavors is a wonderful basis for most vegetarian soups that you care to dream up. Try throwing some winter vegetables and store-bought broth into a pot with a "mirepoix" (sounds so fancy!), and you'll have easy home-made vegetable soup.

http://classical-french-cuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/mirepoix

Black Bean Soup

This spicy, smoky soup is really hearty; it actually makes a decent substitute for chili. I made it tonight while we were snowed in and wanted something to eat that would warm us up.

Olive Oil - Enough to coat the bottom of the pan

Yellow Onion - 1/2, diced

Carrots - 1 to 2, diced

Celery - 2 ribs, diced

Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves, chopped

Poblano Pepper - 1/2 (or more if you want more heat) chopped small

Black Beans - 2 15 oz cans, liquid reserved from one can

Vegetable Broth - 2 cups

Frozen Corn - about 2 cups

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Cumin

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, carrots, and celery until tender, about five minutes. Add garlic and poblano pepper. Saute five minutes more. Reduce heat to medium low. Puree beans (adding liquid from one can) in a food processor or blender until soft but still kind of chunky. (I don't have a food processor, so I have to use a blender. It works fine.) Add beans to pot and stir to combine. Add broth, and season with onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer up to one hour. Add corn and allow to heat through, five to ten minutes. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and tortilla chips.