meatless pasta bake

Pasta Bake with Honey Butter Yeast Roll

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked whole grain penne pasta

2 6 oz. tubs Greek Yogurt/Cream Cheese

1-2 c. soy milk

2 T butter

red pepper flakes, salt, paprika,

small onion sliced

2 -3 cups of fresh spinach

browned/fried cubed tofu

sun dried tomato (used my dehydrator but you can use your oven set below 200 for up to 6 hours.

6 oz grated Parmesan cheese

1 c mozzarella, Havarti, or provolone for top

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Boil pasta al dente.  In a skillet with olive oil, sauté onion, garlic, dried tomato, and browned tofu.  In a sauce pot add butter, yogurt/cream cheese blend, soy milk, red pepper flakes, salt, and paprika.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.  Rinse and dry your pasta.  Oil a large glass or ceramic baking dish.  Pour 1/3 c. of the cream sauce on bottom of baking dish.  Place 1 cup of spinach on top of the sauce.  Next add half of pasta, sprinkle Parmesan cheese, and then tofu/onion mix.  Repeat.  Sprinkle Mozzarella on top.  Bake covered in foil.  Toss pasta to mix cheesy sauce if necessary.  Serve hot.  It serves best when reheated.

arancini (rice balls)

Arancini (Rice Balls)

Recipe:

2 c. of cooked, room temperature brown rice

2-4 oz. cheese (2 slices of Havarti Cheese)

½ c Quorn grounds

½ c salsa or crushed tomatoes

½ c green peas

Garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning, parsley

1 egg yolk

2 T butter

1 T oil

Oil for frying

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Coating:

1/3 c oat flour

½ c ground whole wheat cracker crumbs

1 egg white

1 T water

Heat grounds with salsa, oil, and seasoning. Stir in peas and reduce heat.

Mix cheese with rice over low heat with butter. Season the rice to taste. Allow to cool. Stir in yolk.

Mix egg white and water.

Using a half cup measurement, scoop full of cheese rice mixture. Form a bowl and spoon in 2 teaspoons of filling. Close up the rice mixture into a ball. Roll in flour, then in egg white mixture, and lastly coat in cracker crumbs.

Place on waxed paper on a plate and repeat until all rice is gone. Set plate of rice balls in refrigerator and allow them to firm.

*Served with sauteed green beans (or salad) and fried mozzarella cheese sticks with sauce.

These stuffed treats are traditionally filled with meat. I opted for the vegetarian route. They came out wonderfully. I used a pot of oil instead of my deep fryer. I have come to rely very heavily on my deep fryer with measures the heat of the oil. I'd suggest that you heat the oil to near smoke point, then reduce. 

Trial and error is always best.

Do enjoy!