Tasty Veggy Recipes

Ingredients:
1 lb firm tofu
fresh garlic and onion
1 lb pasta, penne or rotini
4 medium carrots
2 stalks broccoli
1 cup fresh green beans, pepper, or celery
2 – 4 Tbsp olive oil
tomato sauce or pesto
Fresh or dried basil and oregano
add to the marinade as you wish :Fresh ground pepper, dried ginger, cumin, cayenne or black pepper

Method:

• Put a large pot of salted water on to boil
• Slice the tofu in 1/2 X 1″ pieces
• Let tofu sit for a few minutes
• Heat the oil on medium/high in a heavy non stick or well cured cast iron pan
• Optional: add 1 Tbsp minced garlic or half an onion, chopped, to the oil
• Add the tofu, fry 5 minutes each side, turning with a spatula (that’s the fun part)
• Prep the veggies and place in a steamer basket over boiling water
• Cover & steam for 5 – 10 minutes, until just tender
• Add the pasta to the boiling water, bring back to boil, stirring, reduce heat, cover and simmer 7 minutes, or until al dente
• Drain the pasta, add a little olive oil, sauce or pesto if you want, and/or fresh or dried herbs like basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme
• Add the veggies & tofu, and mix gently
• Serve hot sprinkled with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, or fresh basil

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1.5 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1.5 tablespoon Romano cheese
1 (16-ounce) package very thin spaghetti

Method:
Prepare the basil by rinsing it and tearing off the leaves. Discard the stems.
Chop the garlic in a food processor or blender. Add the basil and salt. Process. Add the olive oil. Process until smooth.
At this point you can put the pesto aside for later use, or freeze it. When ready to serve, mix the butter or margarine into the pesto with a fork and blend well. Blend in the cheeses. Set aside.
Make the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain.
Mix the pesto into the pasta.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
Dressing:
1/4 cup vinegar, red wine
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple juice concentrate, frozen, thawed
1 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:
8 oz pasta, fusilli, uncooked
3 apples, mcintosh, cored and diced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 lb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small lettuce head, boston

Method:
Dressing: In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Mix well.
Salad: Boil pasta in salted water until cooked al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, toss apples and lemon juice. Stir in fennel and toss well.Combine pasta and apple fennel mixture in a medium serving bowl. Add dressing and toss well.
Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Ingredients:
1 cauliflower,small in small floweretes
3 carrots, large, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup black olives
2 1/2 cup pasta, rotini
1 1/4 cup oil, vegetable or corn
3/4 cup vinegar, cider
2 garlic cloves, peeled & min
1 tbsp sugar
1 salt & pepper

Method:
In large bowl, toss together cauliflower, carrots, green pepper and olives. Cook rotini in large pot of boiling salted water till tender but firm about 8 to 10 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water.
Dressing: Combine oil, vinegar, garlic and sugar, adding salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Pour all but 1/3 cup dressing over salad,tossing to mix, reserve remaining dressing.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, taste and readjust seasonings and add remaining dressing if necessary.