Vegan Baked and Tossed Spaghetti Squash

I like spaghetti squash.  I have tried it with a number of other ingredients, and over time I have concluded that I most like a lighter combination.  This is my current favorite.

1 large spaghetti squash
1 onion diced
2 tomatoes diced
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon
1 T Italian seasoning
Sea salt and pepper

TomatoCut squash in half along the longest side.  Place flat side down on large baking sheet, pierce a few times with a knife, and place in oven at 400*.  Cook for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, add onion, garlic, and oil to a pan and saute gently.  When transparent, add tomato, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and lemon juice.  Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer gently while squash bakes.  When squash is tender, remove from oven and separate out strands with a fork into a large bowl.  Top with olive oil mix and toss gently.  Add vegan Parmesan if desired. Serve with you favorite (gluten-free?) bread and salad.

Vegan Asian Sesame Noodles

I think I’ve posted it before, but this is an old favorite in my house.  We like them served warm with vegetables mixed in, or cold alone.  Edamame makes a great addition or side dish.  They are also a perfect carry-in item for a potluck or picnic, because everyone loves them and they are good warm, room-temp, or cold.

Asian Sesame Noodles

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1 lb thin spaghetti noodles
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3 T hot chili oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T brown sugar

Boil water for pasta with olive oil.  Cook pasta per directions until al dente.  Drain.  While pasta is cooking, mix all remaining ingredients except sesame seeds, and wisk together.  After pasta is ready, toss the noodles in the sauce mix.  Chill if desired.  Add sesame seeds just before serving.

Baked Cheatken Rotini – Vegan Recipe

So, there I was, looking at a big container of TVP chunks that I had purchased at my local health food store.  Having never cooked with TVP, I wasn’t sure what to do with them, but I knew that I was in the mood for a comforting filling baked pasta dish.  So,  I started dragging ingredients out of the pantry, and this is what I came up with in the end.  I made a double batch, and we had leftovers for days (after feeding six people) so I’ve only given you a single batch recipe here.

Baked Cheatken Rotini

1 lb rotini
1 cup TVP chunks
1 ½ cups veg broth
1 large can tomato puree
1 ½ cups diced tomato
¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
1 T olive oil
1 T dried Italian seasoning (or use fresh basil, oregano, thyme)
¼ cup Daiya mozz (optional)

Place TVP in large bowl with onion, garlic, and mushroom.  Heat veg broth to a boil and pour over TVP mix.  Stir and allow to sit and absorb the liquid while cooking pasta.  Cook pasta in water with 1 T olive oil to al dente.  Drain and rinse.  Mix tomato puree, diced tomato, Italian seasoning, and nutritional yeast into TVP mixture and then fold into pasta.  Put parchment paper on the bottom of a baking pan and fill with mix.  Sprinkle Daiya over the top.  Tear off a sheet of foil large enough to cover pan and coat bottom of sheet with sprayed olive oil or nonstick spray.  Cover pan tightly.  Bake at 350* for 45 minutes (check to be sure it is warmed through) and serve.