Got Tomatoes?

Reducing our grocery budget continues to go pretty well and I sure have enjoyed the abundance of tomatoes, peppers and fresh basil from my garden.  Here's another super-yummy, super-healthy, super-fresh recipe to wet your appetite.  Please note that I am not very specific on my measurements.  I want to encourage you to experiment and have fun discovering your creativity in the kitchen!  

Red Pepper Basil Spaghetti Sauce

15 (or so) roma tomatoes (or any tomatoes you like)

1 can of tomato sauce

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 T olive oil

1 red pepper

1 T (or so) red wine vinegar

1/2 large onion chopped

handful of fresh basil leaves

dash of red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

pasta of your choice (we use gluten-free)

Prepare your ingredients - chop onions, red pepper, basil, chop and seed tomatoes, and mince the garlic.  Heat olive oil on medium heat.  Saute the garlic and onions first, then add the red pepper.  

After three to four minutes add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.  After two to three minutes add the red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.  Add the chopped basil leaves.

Let the sauce cook down for two or more hours until it's the consistency you like.  If you aren't eating it right away, prepare an ice bath for the sauce before refrigerating.

Serve with your favorite pasta and top with grated parmesan cheese.  YUM.

Your Personal Reflection:  Are you having fun being creative in the kitchen?

Creative in the Kitchen with Baked Falafels

So I'm starting to get this meal-planning-on-a-budget thing down.  I'm having so much fun being more creative in the kitchen.  This week I made a yummy taco salad with black beans, carrot soup and falafels.  This homemade falafel meal is so delicious, light and cooling for the summer.  I created it by being open to play (and possibly failure!) while experimenting with the ingredients I had.  It worked out great so I just had to share.

Baked Falafels with Fresh Hummus & Cooling Cucumber Sauce

For Falafels:

1 15 ou can chickpeas

1/2 large onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2 t cumin

2 T unbleached flour

salt & pepper to taste

(serves 3 - double recipe for more servings)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mash until you get a thick consistency.  I actually used my Vita-mix which gave me almost the consistency of hummus.  It was a little creamier but either way will work.

Use a spoon to make the balls and place on a plate.  Flatten slightly.  Lightly brush olive oil on both sides and place on a cookie sheet.  Broil each side until light golden brown (about 3 minutes on each side.)

Cooling Cucumber Sauce

1 small cucumber (peeled and finely chopped)

1 6 ou plain yogurt (I used coconut milk yogurt to make this non-dairy)

2 t mayonnaise

1 T fresh dill 

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients for sauce together and place in fridge until ready to serve.  I made a salad with fresh lettuce,  tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden and topped with the cucumber sauce.  Save some extra to dip the falafels in.

Serve with my Fresh Hummus and the rice of your choice.  

(I used jasmine rice and cooked according to package.)

This was yet another yummy meal using the beans I bought in bulk (and veggies from my garden) and they have provided several delicious meals.  More recipes to come!  (Did you see my black beans and rice recipe from a few weeks ago?)

 

Your Personal Reflection:  Let yourself be creative in the kitchen and see what you discover!