Kabocha + Cider Mac and Cheese

Our family loved this meal so much, I’m making it for dinner yet again tonight. This was my first time cooking with kabocha squash. I picked up one several weeks ago and it had just been taunting me on the kitchen shelf. The flavor pairs wonderfully with the sweet apple cider.

Yes. That’s apple cider in mac and cheese. I got the idea because we were nearly out of almond milk. And you know what? It was really delicious. Something new and admittedly a little crazy. Like my purple hair, I suppose. As I note below, you can also skip this somewhat strange addition and use all milk or a standard mac and cheese experience, veggie-fied.

Never tried kabocha squash? The best I can describe is that the taste and texture remind me of sweet potato.

KABOCHA + CIDER MAC AND CHEESE

What you’ll need . . .

• 1 package noodles*
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup kabocha squash puree**
• 2/3 cup almond milk, milk, or other substitute
• 1/3 cup apple cider***
• 1 to 2 tablespoons flour
• 8 ounces shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and monteray jack)
• Pinch salt, pepper, and paprika
• Bread crumbs

* I used these quinoa elbows from Ancient Harvest.
** You’ll need to roast your kabocha squash, scoop out the flesh, and then puree it with a bit of water. Or sub canned pumpkin or other squash puree to your liking.
*** Not adventurous? It’s OK. You can use all milk. The apple cider tastes really fun, though!

Method . . .

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch baking dish and set aside.
• Cook your noodles to the package’s directions for al dente. You want them done but not mushy.
• While they are draining, melt your Earth Balance (or butter, etc.) in your cooking pot. Then whisk in some flour and cook for a minute or so. Whisk in your milk and apple cider until uniform. Then add the puree.
• Once that’s all smooth, start to whisk in the cheese. Keep stirring over low to medium heat until fully blended. Season with the salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
• Fold in the noodles with a spatula. Then pour into your baking pan and top with bread crumbs.
• Bake for 30 minutes -- uncovered -- until golden brown.
• Serve with sriracha!

Enjoy!

// RELATED RECIPES

Curried Mac + Cheese with Delicata Squash
Spinach Mac + Cheese
Pumpkin Mac + Cheese

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Comfort Food // Stuffed Shells

Sometimes you just need comfort food. Yesterday was surely the day for me. Bonus points if it takes only minutes to come together. I haven’t made stuffed shells in ages, so I dug up my old favorite recipe and got to work. This is a great meal to make with little ones (easy stuffing!) and bakes up in just half an hour.

Also, random question: Have you guys seen whole wheat, sprouted, or otherwise “healthier” jumbo shells? I performed a rather thorough search of Wegmans and only found the standard type.

STUFFED SHELLS w/ GREENS

What you’ll need . . .

• 1 package jumbo shells
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese, part-skim
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 handfuls baby kale, baby spinach, or mix
• 1 jar (24 ounce) your favorite tomato sauce
• Bunch fresh basil
• Garlic powder
• Ground pepper
• Handful mozzarella
• Sprinkles Parmesan 

Method . . . 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F*.
2. Cook shells in boiling water for 9 minutes and drain (will be al dente). Let cool a bit while you mix the filling.
3. Chop the greens and basil considerably. Then combine them with the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan (no need to measure the cheeses carefully -- add more if you wish), and a dash of garlic powder + pepper.
4. Pour half the tomato sauce on a greased 9x13 pan. I used glass.
5. Stuff shells with filling. Then line them up next to one another until your pan is full. I always have some shells leftover. Ada likes them plain, so I just save in a baggie to re-heat. 
6. Then cover with the rest of the tomato sauce, sprinkle on some more mozzarella + Parmesan, and cover with foil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Then take the cover off and broil for a couple minutes until browned. Let cool a while before serving.

* Alternatively, you can prepare this meal in advance, cover + place in your fridge, and bake whenever you’re ready to eat. That’s another reason I love this meal so much.

// GIVEAWAY WINNER

Congrats to Katrina, the Magformers giveaway winner. Katrina says "My little guy plays with them at the library. We would build a school because he loves playing school.” I’ll be in touch with you soon regarding your prize.

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No-Boil Pasta Bake + Food Prep

This is sure to be your new go-to dinner. A while back, I made this awesome Skillet-Baked Cappellini Pomodoro. The cool part about it was that you didn’t need to cook the noodles before tossing it in the oven. Well, I tinkered and improved on this meal to bring introduce more veggies (we usually roast some with our usual meal prep on Sunday afternoon) and improve the overall flavor.

Here it is!

NO-BOIL PASTA BAKE
Takes just 10 minutes to toss together, 1 hour to cook.

What you’ll need . . .

• Thin spaghetti noodles
• Jar of spaghetti sauce (or homemade)
• Low-fat ricotta (or maybe tofu ricotta?)
• Shredded mozzarella
• Spinach or other greens
• Roasted veggies (any will do)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup water

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish (or other baking dish of similar size).
2. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the dish. Then a layer of the thin noodles. Add some of the roasted veggies (we used butternut squash), spinach, and dots of ricotta. Cover with more of the sauce. There are no right or wrong measurements.
3. Repeat with another layer in the same way, but this time cover with the rest of the sauce and top with as much cheese as you wish. Some Parmesan works well too. 
4. Then pour in some water where your pasta isn’t covered by sauce. Just a little here and there is all your need.
5. Place in your oven covered by tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes.

Meal Prep

And here are some other foods I prepped for us this week!

Slow Cooker Applesauce -- with Honey Crisps.

Honey WW + Flax Loaf -- with some oats tossed in.

Simple vegan breakfast muffins -- recipe tomorrow!

Homemade Almond Milk -- using the French Press Trick!

Roasted Carrot + White Miso Soup

What foods did you prep this week? 

We’re trying to dig deep into our cupboards and freezer drawers to have another $10 grocery week, which I’ll write about very soon. Basically, we’re avoiding buying lots of groceries and trying to use up what we already have hanging around -- only heading to the store for bananas, milk (for Ada), and other essentials.

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10-Minute Heirloom Tomato Sauce

A goal I have for this blog is to simplify the foods I feature and to keep it real with regard to what we eat on a day-to-day basis. So, over the coming weeks, I'll highlight a few previously overlooked staples we have in our kitchen. Things that aren't really exciting or masterpieces on their own, but recipes that bring a lot of flavor and vibrancy to the meals we eat.

Which brings us to this delightfully simple tomato sauce, great for use on pasta or pizza or even for dipping. You don't need to use heirlooms, they're just particularly delicious and gigantic. And tomatoes can be switched out with tomatillos, too. I make sauce with whatever we get in our CSA basket.

10-Minute HEIRLOOM TOMATO SAUCE

What you'll need . . .

• 2 very large tomatoes  (or approx 1-1/2 cups) chopped
• Minced onion + garlic*
• Dried or fresh herbs of choice
• Salt + pepper
• Red pepper flake
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
• olive oil

* You can certainly use fresh, but I keep a secret stash of dehydrated onions and garlic by Earth's Pride on hand for quick recipes like these.


Method . . . 

1. Heat a tablespoon or more of olive oil over medium-high heat, toss all ingredients into the pan, starting with the tomatoes, onions, and garlic.
2. The salt is important in this recipe for drawing out the moisture from the tomatoes. So, be sure to add that straight away.
3. Add the spices slowly, though -- remember, you can always add more, but not take away. It's all to your taste, too. Feel free to omit red pepper flakes if you don't like heat or maple syrup if you don't like sweetness. Others to consider adding include oregano, thyme, basil, and even sage can be nice!
4. Cook + stir continuously and  as moisture is released from the tomatoes, squish them down with the back of your spatula or spoon to your desired chunky consistency. 
5. Sauce is ready after 10 minutes or less, depending on the use. For pizza, just make sure that it is thick and not watery. 
6. For a less rustic sauce, run through your food processor until smooth. And feel free to double, triple, etc. this recipe for more sauce!

To make this pizza, flatten dough and bake at 450 for 2 to 3 minutes. Then assemble with the sauce and cheeses and bake for another 12 to 14 minutes. Until cheese is golden brown + bubbly.

• Use half the yield of the Pumpkin Pizza Dough (we made ours with squash puree)
• Use the sauce you just made
• Mozzarella cheese + crumbled honey goat cheese
• Fresh basil

If you don't have fresh tomatoes on hand, try this Boozy + Bold Sauce made with packaged tomatoes. And if you have a bit more time, try out this Grilled Kalamata Sauce, maybe with Pesto Pizza Dough. 

Monday is as great a night as any for pizza, don't you think?

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Skillet-Baked Cappellini Pomodoro

In the vast + deep sea of other food bloggers you follow, you probably haven't noticed that I never post pasta recipes. Like ever. And that's because . . . I hate pasta. Sort of. Obviously, I'm more of a pizza girl. Or calzones. Sometimes ravioli.

Cappellini, too, is quite nice when done up the right way.

Maybe it's because until the last five years, the bulk of my "authentic" exposure to Italian pastas was through Olive Garden. Now we live in an area with undeniably amazing + REAL Italian cuisine, so I suppose I need to start giving their homemade noodles a try.

This recipe can be made at home in around half an hour.

Here's how:


I'd do an old-school animated GIF circa (never)homemaker 2010.
 
But the image resolution sucks. So, you're stuck scrolling . . .


Almost there!


SKILLET-BAKED CAPPELLINI POMODORO 
just a fancy way of writing thin spaghetti w/ tomato sauce

What you'll need . . .

• A good-sized skillet
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce (I used our Boozy + Bold Chunky Sauce)
• 1/2 package of cappellini pasta (uncooked)
• 1 onion, sliced and browned in olive oil atop the stove
• Drops of low-fat ricotta
• Sprinkles of mozzarella cheese
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Tablespoon olive oil

Method . . . 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle the bottom of your skillet (this skillet is the one I used) with olive oil. Break the cappellini in half by snapping it and arrange at the bottom of the pan.
2. Make your tomato sauce or use your favorite store brand.
3. After you've browned your onions over medium-high heat, arrange them atop the pasta.
4. Then spread the sauce. You may use more or less sauce, depending on your taste for it. I know some people like LOTS and others just a little. You'll need to cover all the pasta, though, for the moisture to cook the noodles.
5. Then scatter your dollops of ricotta and sprinkle with some mozzarella.
6. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned + bubbly.
7. Let cool before serving.

I couldn't find a more creative way to photograph the finished product. Or maybe after a while I couldn't stop scooping my fork into the pan and taking big bites. But the result is an al dente + chewy pasta underneath that thick blanket of cheese and sauce. Delicious. And super easy for a week-night meal.

What's for dinner tonight at your house?

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Pumpkin Rut

I've made so many different soups, stews, breads, desserts, etc. with pumpkin. In autumn, I buy a large can of it nearly every week at the grocery store. I don't even think about it, but it's there in the cart at checkout time.

I sat for a good hour trying to think of something NEW to do with pumpkin. Well, that's not all I did during said hour, but you know how it goes when something's on your mind. You carry it with you.

I decided to ask Google for some help.

I searched "ways to use canned pumpkin" and it yielded some good links:

Bon Appetit's 11 Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin
TLC's 10 Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin (Besides in a Pie)
Self.com's 4 Tasty Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin
Food Network's Leftover Canned Pumpkin 5 Ways
Momadvice.com's 8 Ways to Use Canned or Fresh Pumpkin

If you add in my Food for Runners post with 18 pumpkin recipes, I entertained 56 creative, delicious ideas. But many of these recipes -- pumpkin butter, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies, etc., etc., etc. -- are sort of been-there-done-that for me.

What to do?


rolled PUMPKIN LASAGNA 
in a SMOKY PUMPKIN CHEDDAR SAUCE

What you'll need for the pasta . . . 

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1+ cup unbleached white flour
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
• 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons hot water (= flax egg)
• 3 tablespoons water

Method . . . 

1. In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they become meal. Then add the flours and salt. Pulse until combined.
2. Add in the pumpkin puree, the flax egg, and water. Mix until a dough ball is formed.
3. Take out of processor. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour until it isn't.
4. Let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. 
5. Then generously flour a work surface and roll out into a large rectangle. Cut into 8 smaller, longer lasagna rectangles (as shown below). 
6. Set aside until ready for use. 
7. Best part: There is no need to boil noodles before baking lasagna rolls.

What you'll need for the sauce . . .

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 to 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method for sauce . . .

1. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the garlic and let cook for a couple minutes.
2. Then add the cayenne and paprika. Mix until garlic is coated. 
3. Add the rest of the ingredients -- all but the cheese.
4. Once it sauce is well incorporated take off heat and stir in cheese.

What you'll need for the filling . . .

• 1 block extra firm tofu, drained well
• 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small tomato, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . . 

1. Simply crumble the tofu into a large bowl, toss with the black beans and diced tomato.
2. Season with the salt and pepper. 
3.  The key is making sure the tofu is as drained as possible. Otherwise you may have some soggy pasta (but it isn't terrible if that happens).

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spritz an 8" x 8" (9" x 9" works, too) pan with some olive oil. Then pour in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the sauce into the bottom
2. Lay out your lasagna noodles. Spread each evenly with some sauce, making sure that you have a good 1/2 cup or more of sauce left over.
3. Then evenly distribute the filling mixture.
4. Starting at one end, roll the pasta and then place into your baking dish -- one right next to another.
5. When you have finished rolling the pasta, cover with the remaining sauce.
6. You may also choose to add a bit of shredded cheese on top. 
7. Cover dish with foil and place in oven to 45 minutes.
8. Then take off the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. 
9. We actually did this and then turned off the heat and left the dish in there for another 25 minutes while we gave Ada a bath and it turned out great.

My weakness as a food photographer?

Taking photos of cooked pasta dishes. I never, ever get a good shot! The finished pumpkin pasta tastes much better than this photo would lead you to believe.


Anyway, that's how I busted out of my pumpkin rut. And not only did we have a great dinner, we still have half the food left over for tomorrow's lunch. I'll be the first to say that this recipe SEEMS long and complicated, but I assure you -- it wasn't terribly difficult. Even for a weeknight.

Also, if you'd rather use ricotta in place of tofu, that would be delicious! Alternatively, if you'd like to make this recipe vegan, omit all cheese and consider adding in some nutritional yeast for the flavor.

Have you come across any new, fun pumpkin recipes lately? I'd like to make something sweet that I haven't tried before. Hmmm.

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Vegan Vodka Sauce

We don't often go out to eat. Our budget doesn't allow for it, and there are few local restaurants that we love. One of our favorites has this amazing penne alla vodka on the menu. You can order it plain or kicked up a notch with paprika. They call it "old school" -- and I always order it this way. We haven't been there in quite a while since Ada's bedtime usually coincides with when we dine out, and I've been missing the dish.

We don't have the rich ingredients, like heavy cream and butter, that typically go into this boozy sauce. So, I improvised. Made it healthier and more week night friendly.

VEGAN SMOKED VODKA SAUCE

What you'll need . . .

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 to 1 cup vodka*** 
• 1 large (24 ounce) can of whole peeled tomatoes -- juice and all 
• 1 cup almond (or soy, etc.) milk 
• 1/2 tablespoon fenugreek 
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes 
• 2 cans (24 ounces total) canelli or white beans, drained and rinsed 
• Salt and black pepper to taste

***That's a lot of the hard stuff -- can vodka sauce get you drunk? No. But as a breastfeeding mother, I investigated how much alcohol actually makes it into the sauce. Several sources cited that 60% of the alcohol burns off almost immediately with the heat of the burner. So, with the 6 or so cups of sauce this recipe makes, the amount that actually makes it into each serving is -- at most -- a mere teaspoon.


Method . . .

1. In a large rimmed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook for several minutes -- until onions are translucent, glassy. 
2. While that's cooking, puree the whole canned tomatoes in your food processor. Set aside.
3. When the onions/garlic are ready, pour in the vodka. Cook for a couple minutes. Then pour tomatoes into the pan and cook for a few more minutes. 
4. Lower the heat and add in the spices and the almond milk. Make adjustments by tasting the sauce and tweaking to what you like. We went heavy on the paprika, obviously, but that smoky taste is incredible. 
5. Then after five or so minutes of the sauce simmering, scoop out two cups of it and put them into your food processor with the drained/rinsed beans. 
6. Process until smooth and then return back to the pan. Stir well. Season with salt and black pepper. Use some right away and store the rest for up to a week (or freeze).

You might be wondering: "Why add the beans?" They were an afterthought if I'm being entirely honest. I mixed together what I thought would make a good sauce and it was soupy. Not nearly thick enough to cover pasta in any acceptable way. So, I used what we had in the pantry. White beans make the most sense.

I quickly discovered that one can wasn't going to do the trick. Two did. And that's that.


We ate ours first mixed with sweet peas stop some whole wheat spaghetti. And then again tonight, family style, over some farfalle with browned Brussels sprouts on the side. Initially I had planned to freeze the sauce and eventually make some sort of fun lasagne with it. Who knows. Might be worth another go this weekend. It's tasty, but has extra protein and far less fat.


Today on Writing Chapter Three, I wrote about why I should never say never when it comes to anything that Ada does or doesn't do. I thought I was a relatively chill mom, but I definitely have a long way to go.

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Bowtie Pasta for Dinner

A pregnant woman can't live on garlic knots and s'mores bars alone. Though I'd certainly say I'm trying to -- I even joked that our baby will come out orange (from the pumpkin) and reeking of garlic (from the gazillion cloves we use). Guess we'll see about that. Anyway, I've been trying to bring more variety (and nutrition) to my dinners.

This meal was a collaborative effort. Stephen wanted pasta and greens. I wanted a yummy sauce.

BOWTIE PASTA WITH PEANUT SAUCE

What you'll need . . .

• 1 box whole wheat bowtie pasta, cooked to package directions
• 3 bunches of baby bok choy, rinsed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, grated
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 5 large basil leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Couple tablespoons water

Method . . .

1. Cook the pasta, then set aside. You won't necessarily use all of it.
2. In a large pan, saute the bok choy in a little olive oil. Just till it wilts. Then toss in however much pasta you'd like to use. I think we added around 3 to 4 cups. Continue cooking on very low heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, oil, garlic, basil, lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and squeeze in the grated ginger (discard the pulp). Then depending on how thin or thick you want the sauce, add a few tablespoons of water. Whisk to incorporate.
4. Pour the sauce into your pasta mixture pan. Cook for a couple minutes. And then serve.

Stephen liked his pasta hot. I think I might like it even better cold -- for lunch instead of dinner. However you serve it, it's a great and easy summer dish with some flair. Toss in more veggies for variety.

Anything goes!


And for a tasty non-alcoholic drink to accompany dinner, try this lemon-ginger mocktail we posted yesterday on (never home)maker, baby!

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Gluten-Free Pasta Salad

We don't cover enough gluten-free recipes on (never home)maker. We'd had requests, so -- today's recipe is for you! I think we've already discussed how I don't like salad or pasta. But there's a rare exception to this rule. If the pasta is somehow a salad . . . I tend to like it. Especially if it's combined with some of my favorite ingredients. Namely heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

OK. And when you add basil. I tend to LOVE it.

Now, I've been seeing gluten-free pasta options popping up at restaurants around here more and more the past couple months. I think it's great. Most of the options are made from brown rice. The kind we used is no exception.


If you eat a gluten-free diet and are interested, you can purchase Lundberg Pastas at most natural foods stores. As a first-time eater, I found the texture and taste of their organic brown rice penne to be pretty much the same as many of the whole grain pastas I usually devour. So, GREAT! I didn't really know what to expect, but it wasn't weird or terribly different. And it cooked similarly.

(((If you're not so much into the gluten-free thing, you can substitute in your favorite store-bought penne for this recipe.)))


GLUTEN-FREE, ONE-POT PASTA SALAD

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup dry Lundberg gluten-free penne
• 1 large heirloom tomato
• Fresh mozzarella (as many slices as you'd like)
• 2 heaping handfuls of baby spinach
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced.
• Fresh basil to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

1. Cook pasta to the package directions in a medium stock pot. Bring water to a boil, toss in pasta and cook for between 8 and 10 minutes. Then drain and rise with cold water. Set aside.
2. Slice you tomato and mozzarella. Toss into the colander where you drained your pasta.
3. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in the used stock pot and toss in your garlic and spinach. Heat over medium heat and stir around until coated with oil.
4. Then add your penne, tomato slices, and mozzarella. Turn the heat down to almost low. Toss around for a couple minutes until the cheese starts to melt, but is still in tact.
5. Then serve. It's good with balsamic vinegar. Eat immediately.

This recipe makes two generous lunch servings. Feel free to substitute in your favorite greens (I think kale would work beautifully) and other veggies.

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Tri-Colored Veggie "Pasta"

I have a weird foodie confession to make: I hate pasta. Let me write that again: I hate pasta. I don't exactly know why . . . but even if I'm starving and someone offers me a dish of pasta, I'd rather just wait to eat something else.

Maybe this dislike is routed in my childhood? Yeah. That's likely it.

Of course, being the only vegetarian in my family (since age 12) means eating a lot of spaghetti with red sauce. For holidays, lasagna with cheese and veggies or stuffed shells. Pasta salads at BBQs. Chef's "special" pasta dishes at restaurants with no vegetarian options (which is usually just thrown together from whatever noodles, sauce, and veggies happen to be on the menu that night).

Ick.

Just thinking about all those meals makes me cringe. There is one exception to this rule: Gnocchi. I never really ate gnocchi growing up, so -- at least to me -- it seems like another animal of a dish. Well, Asian noodles, too, are OK by me. Anyway, none of this is the point. Last night, I was craving pasta for some reason. But I wanted to make it out of some of my favorite vegetables.


A few flicks of the wrist later, and THIS was what I had to work with. Beautiful "noodles" made of zucchini, parsnips, and carrots. Of course, we could have topped it off with some red pasta sauce. But I just couldn't drown them like that. Instead, we kept with the whole pumpkin-is-the-new-everything thing we have going here and made a pumpkin-coconut sauce.

TRI-COLORED VEGGIE "PASTA"

What you'll need for the "noodles" . . .

• 1 medium to large zucchini
• 2 to 3 carrots
• 2 to 3 parsnips

Method . . .

1. Wash/scrub your veggies.
2. Then simply use a vegetable peeler to shave them into noodles. A simple back-and-forth motion will do. Try to make them long.
3. Chop and save leftover veggies (which will end up looking almost like bones) to throw into salads. Or just eat raw.

MAKE IT A MEAL

What you'll need . . .

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Method . . .

1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm some olive oil and throw in the garlic. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Toss in the chopped broccoli. Cook for five minutes until it is softened, but not soggy.
3. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, ground cloves, and garlic powder . . . and pour into the pan. Lower the heat so it's truly on medium. Continue cooking for a couple minutes.
4. Throw in the "noodles" and let cook until warmed.
5. Serve onto plates or into bowls.
6. With a fork, whisk together the maple syrup and soy sauce. Divide evenly among servings -- which you should get get huge ones out of this recipe.

We are ours with a generous serving of red quinoa and avocado on the side. Of course, it isn't traditional pasta -- hardly. But, let me write this one more time: I HATE pasta. Likely, you won't find a ton of recipes for the "normal" stuff on our site. Unless I'm cooking it for Stephen :)

Do you have any weird food aversions? Any specific ingredients that gross you out? Or maybe you're like me, and you're just plain sick of a certain dish. Tell us all about it! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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