Here Veggie, Veggie, Veggie!

I am not a vegetarian, as you’ve probably already noticed, although I enjoy eating like one every now and then. A lot of people think that vegetarian meals are boring, but I strongly disagree. It’s all about substitution. I have a vegetarian cousin who had a great point – Meat can be expensive, (and cutting down on grocery costs is what I’m all about!) So, in her honor I’m posting a couple of great Veggie-Non-Recipes.
Pasta e Fagioli
(Not only am I not a vegetarian, I am also not Italian, so this is my lazy take on the version that I grew up eating in my American home)
-2 servings of short-cut pasta (penne is usually what I use..and I always use Whole Wheat pasta)
-can of tomato product (diced, pureed, whole, stewed, etc.)
-a big spoonful of tomato paste
-small handful of rosemary and sage (I’ve used both fresh and dried before, both work fine.)
-a few cloves of garlic
-can of white beans (we always used ‘Great Northern’ beans, but cannellini is traditional)
*Boil pasta in extremely salty water (it should taste like the ocean) until al dente, drain but reserve about a cupful of the water.
-While pasta is boiling, pour can of tomato product into another pot along with the tomato paste. Using a larger sized microplane, grate the garlic cloves into the tomato mixture. If you’re using dried herbs, add them now. Heat on med. heat until all is combined, alow to simmer for a minute or so. Taste to adjust seasoning.
-Add drained can of beans and fresh herbs if you’re using them.
-Add cooked pasta and stir.
-Add some pasta water, a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.
-Top each serving with grated cheese (parm, etc.) and serve with some good crusty bread.
Mandarin Salad
(This is adapted from my mom’s awesome recipe, which is called ‘Japanese Chicken Salad’)
-shredded lettuce of any kind, I’ve also used shredded cabbage
-about 4 green onions
-several handfuls of chopped cashews
-a handful of sesame seeds
-about 1/2 a can of ‘La Choy’ chow mein noodles
-1 can mandarin oranges
-a handful of cilantro leaves
-(You can add some sauteed, extra-firm tofu for some protein)
*dressing: 1/4 cup sugar; 1 lime, zested and juiced; ~1/4 cup veg oil, tsp s&p. Add all to a mason jar and shake until combined.
–Toss everything in a large bowl and eat. (If you’re using the cabbage, toss about an hour ahead of time so the cabbage will begin to wilt a little.)