HeaVy on the Veg!

Some of my favorite things….

Another new segment- things that I’m digging right now. Most will be food related but occasionally I may throw in some other suggestions in hopes to make your shopping experience easier.

I think most of you know I’m an Aldi fan. I just experienced these bad boys for the first time and I’m loving them. I crave a piece of chocolate after dinner and these are the perfect size. I keep them in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

If you are a coconut fan you need to try Coconut Milk Reddi Whip. I’ve had it with coffee, straight from the can and on blueberry topped waffles. My absolute favorite way to eat it is on top of a bowl of sliced fruit.

I use Aldi’s Everything Bagel Seasoning so much I keep it on my counter with my oils. I eat it on eggs, bagel thins, cottage cheese and vegetables. Be sure to give it a shake before you use it.

Another Aldi find is Greek yogurt whipped cream cheese. This pairs well with the EBS.

This is my absolute favorite quick lunch. A toasted bagel thin with whipped cream cheese, EBS, and sliced radishes. Served with a side of fruit topped with the coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

Fasolia (Greek Green Beans)

Use could use a bag of pre-washed/pre-trimmed beans to save time. Get the large bag.

2 tablespoons of EVOO

1/2 a large onion or 1 small onion diced

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 tomato-diced

1 can of diced tomatoes- drained

1.5-2 lbs of green beans-trimmed

Water or broth

Teaspoon of dried oregano & parsley

Pinch of S&P

Add evoo to a large skillet and sauté onions until lightly browned (about 3-4 minutes) then add garlic for 30 seconds.

Add the chopped tomato, the can of diced tomatoes, the beans, oregano, parsley and S&P and sauté 2 more minutes. Add broth or water to cover beans. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until water mostly is absorbed. Stir often.

Serve with chicken or pork kabobs and rice. Enjoy!

Summer Pasta

1 bag/box of a spiral pasta such as gemelli or casarecce

2 tablespoons of Evoo

2 cloves garlic

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (you can use Roma or slicer tomatoes just remove the seeds)

2 ears of fresh corn

1 small zucchini

3/4 marinara sauce

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package

In a large skillet heat oil then add garlic until fragrant. Add chopped tomatoes, corn and zucchini and cook about 4-5 minutes until slightly brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add marinara sauce and reserved cooking water (if you forget use broth).

Add pasta to sauce. Don’t use all of it if you feel there is too much pasta. Drizzle with olive oil then add shredded cheese and fresh basil.

LUCA’s Eggplant Ragu

To help support the restaurant industry I will share my favorite dishes that are heavy on the veg from my local favorites.

My favorite restaurant is LUCA in Lancaster, PA. I was recently there for my birthday dinner and had the eggplant ragu. It was so yummy my husband said it was the best meatless thing he has ever eaten and my son ate more of it than I did.

LUCA changes their menu often to use seasonal ingredients and on Sunday’s they are currently offering a 5 course sampler. They have a bottle shop and the only place in Central PA to offer natural wine. The service is amazing. They gave my son a shirt since they share a name. I highly recommend a visit soon and to make a reservation.

He put the shirt on as soon as he got it.

Beet and Pear Salad

Since some of us have transitioned to working from home, we need quick healthy lunch options. I get bored with salads so I’m always looking for ways to jazz them up. This week I got beets in my produce share so beet salad it is.

I love adding nuts to salads and have them on hand at all times (store them in your freezer for a longer shelf life). I also keep a crumbled cheese on hand like goat, feta, or blue.

Roasted beets- remove stems and wash beets. Leave skins on. Drizzle with evoo and sprinkle with S&P. Cover each beet in foil. Then place all on a baking sheet and roast beets in the oven at 375 for 1 hour.

This recipe is for one.

Butter lettuce

1 roasted beet- chopped or you can use jarred beets

1 small pear- diced

Handful of raisins or dried cranberries

Handful of chopped nuts of your choice- I used pecans but walnuts would be great. Cook them in a small skillet for a few minutes before adding to the salad.

Crumbled goat cheese

Balsamic vinaigrette- I used a store brand