Vegetarian

Roasted Vegetable and Pesto Quinoa

After a weekend full of “cheat-day” foods, I was in desperate need of a healthy dinner tonight. This quinoa is loaded with veggies — red pepper, zucchini, eggplant, and onion — and keeps you feeling full thanks to the protein and fiber from the chickpeas. Add in super flavorful basil pesto and a sprinkle of feta cheese, and you almost forget you’re eating a healthy meal. 

Roasted Vegetable and Pesto Quinoa
Serves 6
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  2. 1/4 cup basil pesto
  3. 1 medium red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  4. 1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
  5. 1/2 a small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
  6. 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  7. 1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  8. 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  9. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  10. Ground black pepper
  11. Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place chopped veggies on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, and spread evenly.
  3. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  4. In the meantime, cook quinoa according to package directions.
  5. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa and roasted vegetables. Gently stir in pesto, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil, if needed, to thin pesto.
  6. Top with feta cheese, and serve.
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/

Spaghetti Squash “Pad Thai”

First, I need to set some expectations for this recipe. If you’re expecting it to taste like traditional Pad Thai, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a super healthy, filling meal loaded with veggies and with Asian-inspired flavors, this recipe fits the bill. Not only does this taste amazing, but you’ll feel great after eating it. The recipe comes from Bob Harper’s Skinny Meals cookbook, but I made some minor adjustments, mainly to the amounts of the ingredients. I didn’t include any meat when I made it, but you can add a cup of cooked chicken (like the original recipe calls for) or even shrimp.

Spaghetti Squash "Pad Thai"
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 1 large spaghetti squash
  2. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  3. 2 carrots, peeled and grated (1/2 cup)
  4. 1/2 zucchini sliced (1 cup)
  5. 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  6. 1 small head of broccoli, rinsed and cut into small florets (1 1/2 cups)
  7. 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  8. 1/4 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
For the sauce
  1. 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  2. 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  3. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  5. 1 tablespoon agave
  6. 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  7. 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
  8. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Carefully cut both ends off the spaghetti squash. Then cut the squash in half horizontally. Scrape out the seeds.
  3. Place the spaghetti squash cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of water in the cavities of both halves of the squash. Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour, until tender. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool. When cool, use a fork to scrape the squash flesh from the inside of the skin into a bowl. You should have about 4 cups of squash.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce.
  5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and red pepper, and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
  6. Add the spaghetti squash to the pan.
  7. Pour in the sauce, and stir to combine.
  8. Cover with a lid, and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Serve, and garnish with green onions and peanuts.
Adapted from Bob Harper's Skinny Meals
Adapted from Bob Harper's Skinny Meals
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/

Pesto Tomato Pie

My tomato plants are out of control this summer, so I’m constantly trying to come up with new ways to use them. I’ve seen recipes for traditional tomato pie, but the mayo and cheese topping aren’t appealing to me. So, instead, I topped the slices of tomato with a basil pesto, cheese, and egg mixture. It might be the best thing I’ve ever made!

 

Pesto Tomato Pie
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 4-5 medium tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
  2. 1 unbaked pie crust (store-bought or homemade), fitted to a 10-inch pie pan
  3. 2 large eggs, beaten
  4. 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
  5. 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  6. 2 tablespoons of prepared basil pesto
  7. Kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place tomato slices on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 20-30 minutes to drain excess liquid from the tomatoes.
  3. With a fork, poke several holes in the bottom of the unbaked pie crust and then line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  4. Partially fill the pie crust with pie weights or dried beans to weigh down the bottom of the crust during baking.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges of the crust are golden. Let cool slightly, and then carefully remove the weights and paper.
  6. In a bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, and pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Gently blot the tomato slices with paper towels to remove any remaining liquid, and then place the tomato evenly in the pie crust.
  8. Spread cheese mixture over the top of the tomatoes.
  9. Bake at 375 for about 18-20 minutes.
  10. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Seasoned to Impress https://seasonedtoimpress.com/