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Cauliflower ‘Alfredo’ sauce with Pasta

Despite my best efforts to eat healthily, sometimes I just want the comfort of cheese and carbs. This is a healthier take on the classic alfredo sauce. Instead of butter, flour and cream, the base is cauliflower and milk. I hope you enjoy this interesting spin for a guilt-free indulgence!

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1                Cauliflower head, cut into small florets

1 box        Linguine or fettuccine pasta

3 cups       Skim milk

1/4 cup     Nutritional yeast

1 tsp          Garlic powder

1/2 tsp      Nutmeg

1 tbsp       Dijon mustard

1 cup        Frozen peas

2 cups      Cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Steam cauliflower until tender, about 10 minutes. While the cauliflower steams, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse in cold water, and then set aside.

In a large pot, combine steamed cauliflower, milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, nutmeg and mustard. Transfer to a blender or puree in the pot with an immersion blender. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.

With pot over low-medium heat, add peas and cheese. Stir frequently until peas are thawed and cheese is melted. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.

Add pasta and toss until well coated. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Choose your own adventure:

In place of pasta, try the sauce over zucchini or sweet potato noodles for a lower carb version.

Mix up the cheese. Try 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup of any other cheese. More flavourful cheeses work better than milder ones.

Add other veggies instead of peas. I’ll be trying sautéed mushrooms and baby spinach next time!

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Minestrone

This is the first soup I ever made without a recipe. I’ve played around with it a bit but I always go back to this version and crave it every time the weather starts to cool off. It makes a perfect, easy Sunday evening dinner when paired with fresh Italian bread to soak up the broth.

Total Prep Time: 50 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp       Olive oil

1                Onion, diced

2 cups       Carrots, diced

2                Zucchinis, cut into half moon, or quarter moon, discs

1 can         Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can         Diced tomatoes

8 cups       Low sodium vegetable broth

4 cups       Kale, leaves torn and removed from stalks

Salt, pepper & cayenne

Directions:

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add carrots, zucchini, chickpeas, tomatoes and broth. Cover and bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-high to let simmer.

While soup is coming to a boil, prep the kale. Add kale leaves to pot and continue to simmer, partly covered, until veggies are tender, around 30-35 minutes.

Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and cayenne as desired.

Choose your own adventure:

Omit the kale if you aren’t a fan or don’t feel like having a leafy green texture in your soup. You could swap it for celery, a more traditional minestrone ingredient.

I used to use quite a bit of cayenne but I’ve had to tone it down now that I’m feeding a toddler. The soup changes drastically in character as you dial up the cayenne.

Another traditional addition would be pasta or rice if you want something a little heavier.

Try different beans. Sometimes I do 50/50 chickpeas and black beans. White kidney beans also go well.

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Chunky Tomato Spaghetti (& Meatballs)

No need for a jar of tomato sauce filled with sugar, salt, and who knows what else. Not quite like your Nonna makes, but here’s my fresh take on this classic pasta dish.

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp    Olive oil

1             Onion, diced

4             Garlic cloves, minced

4             Large tomatoes, diced

6 oz        Baby spinach, washed

475 g      Ricotta

1 tbsp     Basil

1 tsp       Oregano

500 g      Spaghetti (one package)

Sea salt & Fresh-cracked pepper

Parmesan cheese & chili flakes

Directions:

Heat oil in large, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion, sautéeing until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes, cover and let simmer until tomatoes start to break down.

While sauce is simmering, boil water in large pot and cook pasta according to instructions.

Once tomatoes have broken down, add spinach and fold in. Let the spinach wilt a bit and then add ricotta, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir until ricotta is well blended. Add pasta and adjust seasoning as desired. Drizzle with some extra olive oil and toss.

Scoop onto plates and top with grated parmesan and chili flakes.

Choose your own adventure:

Skip the beef or turkey and try adding a package of veggie ‘meatballs’. Add them with the tomatoes so that they simmer and pick up all of the flavours.

You can omit the ricotta if you just want a plain tomato ‘sauce’. I like the creaminess and protein it adds so I usually use light ricotta.

Instead of pasta, you can have this over quinoa or zucchini noodles for something a little different.

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Sautéed Chard

This is a quick & easy way to get your greens. I especially love the vibrance and colour that rainbow chard adds to your dinner plate. Enjoy as a side, or add some white beans and enjoy over a bed of quinoa!

Total prep time: 15 minutes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 bunch      Rainbow or green chard

1 tbsp         Butter

2-3              Garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt & Fresh-cracked Pepper

Directions:

Wash chard and remove excess water with salad spinner. Tear leaves into small pieces, separating them from the stalks. Cut stalks into one inch pieces.

Melt butter in large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add chard and cover pan with lid. Stir occasionally and let cook until chard leaves are wilted and stalks are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Choose your own adventure:

Add a pinch of cayenne for some added heat.

Try canola or avocado oil instead of butter for an earthier taste.

Add a splash of lemon juice towards the end of the cooking time to freshen and lighten it up a bit.

Enjoy as a side, or add some white beans and enjoy over a bed of quinoa!

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Welcome to The Plentiful Herbivore!

The Plentiful Herbivore is all about satisfying, vegetarian meals. No munching on lettuce like a rabbit.

Whether you’re considering going vegetarian, looking for some fresh recipes that happen to be veggie, or are a devoted carnivore, I can pretty much guarantee there is something here for everyone!

I have 3 central beliefs when it comes to cooking…

1    Experiment and customize

2    Eat real food

3    Keep it quick and easy

Check out my ‘About Me’ and ‘Cooking Philosophy’ pages to learn more about The Plentiful Herbivore. Let’s get cooking!

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Tacos – Black Bean & Spinach

Taco Tuesday is a favourite in our house. They’re easy to make and fun to eat. Everyone gets to customize their toppings and there are endless combinations for filling. This recipe is the one I go back to time and again.

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp       Avocado oil

2-3            Tomatoes, diced

1 can         Black beans, rinsed

4 oz           Baby spinach, washed

1 tbsp       Chili powder

1 tsp         Cumin

8                Corn tortillas

Sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Salsa &/or Hot sauce

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, black beans, chili powder and cumin. Stir occasionally and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add spinach slowly and fold in. Continue to simmer until most of the water from the tomatoes is evaporated and the spinach is wilted.

Sprinkle some cheese into each tortilla. Spoon bean mixture into tortillas and top as desired with sour cream, salsa and hot sauce.

Choose your own adventure:

Swap the black beans with chickpeas. As they cook and become tender, you can lightly mash them with a fork to help them stay put better in your tortillas. I also like to do a 50/50 split of black beans and chickpeas.

Spice it up with cayenne in your bean mixture!

Different salsas and cheeses can make a big difference. Try a green salsa or havarti to change things up.

If you don’t have fresh spinach, chopped, frozen spinach, or kale, also work well.

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Quinoa Salad (Spring/Summer version)

Sometimes a hot meal isn’t appealing on a steamy summer day. Salad is a common solution, but it can leave you less than satisfied. This recipe is the spring/summer version of my favourite salad. The quinoa, avocado, chickpeas and cheese leave you satisfied, and you get a healthy dose of colourful veggies!

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 cup              Quinoa

2 1/4 cups    Low sodium Vegetable broth

6 oz                Baby spinach, washed

8-10                Asparagus spears

1                      Orange pepper, diced

250 g              Grape tomatoes, halved

1/2                  Red onion, diced

19 oz can       Chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1                      Avocado, diced

100 g              Feta, crumbled

1/4 cup          Pumpkin seeds, roasted & unsalted

1/4 cup          Olive oil

2 tbsp            Lemon juice

Sea Salt & Fresh-cracked Pepper

Directions:

Place quinoa and broth in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until broth is absorbed (10-15 minutes). Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.

Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces and steam until just tender (3-5 minutes depending on thickness). Run under cool water and set aside to cool.

Place all remaining veggies, chickpeas, avocado, feta and pumpkin seeds in a large salad bowl. Add cooled quinoa and asparagus. Mix oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl with whisk. Pour over salad and toss until well coated.

Choose your own adventure:

If asparagus is out of season, or not your favourite, replace with lightly steamed broccoli florets. You can also replace the orange pepper with any colour you like, or zucchini works well too.

Garlic lovers: Replace the red onion with fresh garlic scapes, diced finely. For extra garlic-goodness, use a garlic & herb flavoured feta.

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Mango Avocado Toast

This is my favourite brunch in the summer. Not only is it very quick and easy to make, but it’s a great balance of being surprisingly light, yet satisfying. The avocado and mango pair perfectly with the heat of the salsa.

Total Prep Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4          Large slices of grainy bread

1          Avocado

1          Mango

8          Eggs

Green Salsa

Salt, Pepper & Cayenne

Butter

Directions:

Lightly toast bread.

Dice avocado and mango, and combine in bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne (very little is needed). Spoon mixture evenly onto toast.

Melt butter in frying pan and crack eggs into pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may only be able to fit 4 eggs at a time. Fry until egg whites are cooked but yolk is still runny.

Place 2 eggs on each piece of toast and top with green salsa.

Choose your own adventure:

Try different types of bread. I prefer the grainy kind, but rye is also nice.

Play with the spice level. Go for an extra spicy salsa (Mango & Jalapeno would go nicely) or crank up the cayenne.