Mediterranean Pasta Bake

Rabbits rabbits, and happy February! We all know how extremely cold it has been lately, and it always seems that February is the coldest month.  It always seems that there is a big snow storm every February, and after the two blizzards we just had, I'm not ready for another!  Winter wouldn't be so bad if I could just spend it all indoors with some hot cocoa by the fireplace, but unfortunately I am not a bear in hibernation. One way to combat the winter cold, is with warm comfort foods. While everyone loves the traditional comfort foods, its fun to change them up. I love cheesy, baked pasta, but I also love Mediterranean flavors.



Inspired by All Recipes.

What you need:



1 lb box of pasta
1 Jalapeno pepper, diced
1 bag of spinach
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
20-30 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped in half
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Olive oil for cooking

What do to:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Saute the jalapenos for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and spinach, let simmer for 10-15 minutes.



Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse.
Toss the pasta into the tomato mixture until evenly coated, and transfer into a large baking dish.
Top with cheeses and bake for 5 minutes.
Broil for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.











This meal was full of gooey, melty cheese and lots of heat! The tomatoes were hot and juicy, the olives were salty and briny, and the feta was nice and creamy. The spinach added a nice veggie flavor. I loved the texture of the olives with the soft pasta. This meal turned out to have a great mix of both Greek and Italian elements, which I loved! Everything was all baked and melted together with a crusty, baked top. This was full of flavor, and full of comfort!

Do you like to put twists on comfort foods? Will you try this pasta bake?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Sausage on a Bun

Now that I go grocery shopping for myself, I have discovered lots of gems that I never knew existed. There are so many awesome foods tucked away and I want to try them all.  Sadly, they are usually on the pricier side, but that doesn't stop me from indulging once in a while (plus I feel like I deserve it after buying 77 cent pasta).  I am often buying foods in the small soy section of the supermarket, and while I usually just stick with tofu and soy crumbles, they have lots of other foods that I would love to try.  I saw a package of Lightlife Smart Sausages Italian Style, and my mind instantly wandered as I tried to figure out all the ways I wanted to eat them.



I decided to go with sausage on a bun sandwhiches.  I have seen Ben make them before, so I turned to my resident meat-eater to figure out what else to put on the sandwich. I had to ask Ben what people eat with sausages, because I honestly didn't know! He said usually peppers or onions...both of which I'm not a fan of. After thinking a while I decided on sauteed spinach. I thought it was kind of like onions and peppers...right?

I love sauteed spinach, its so easy and fast to whip up, and its a great way to use up the not-so-fresh spinach you might have left over.



All you need is spinach, a little olive oil, a couple cloves of garlic, and some salt & pepper.

Heat up the oil in a pan over medium heat, add in the garlic and spinach. Saute until spinach wilts.



Then I cooked my sausage according to the directions on the package, put it on a bun with the spinach, and topped with mustard.





I ate my sausage on a bun with a side of potato chips, for that All-American cookout effect.





The sausage itself had a nice texture, and a mild, meaty flavor filled with Italian spices.  The flavor of the sausage went really well with the garlicy spinach. The garlic complimented the sausage and the spinach added a great veggie flavor.  Everything was tied together with a nice, toasty, crunchy bun and a bit of mustard for some heat. This meal actually made me happy. It was so good and I loved trying something new!

Have you tried these Lightlife Italian Style Smart Sausages? What is your favorite thing to add to a sausage on a bun?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Spinach and Tomato Alfredo Pizza

I swear, you guys must think I have food ADD. One day I post a fall comfort food, and they next I'm posting foods with summer veggies. The truth is, I just love the foods I love, and I could eat them any time of the year. For today, I have another recipe inspired from a blog. I love reading other blogs. That's really all I do in my free time. I read every single one of the blogs I follow, and I love gathering inspiration from them. Its the best way to find new vegetarian recipes right from the bloggers themselves. Don't think I am unoriginal, or a copy-cat. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? This recipe comes from Family Food Finds.



What you need:



A few handfuls of spinach
1 small (or half a large) tomato, chopped
Alfredo sauce
4-5 minced garlic gloves
1/2 of shredded mozzarella cheese
A pizza crust
Oregano

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees with your pizza stone inside.
Spread a few spoonfuls of the alfredo sauce on the crust, making sure to leave about an inch around.
Sprinkle on the garlic and cheese.  Evenly layer on the tomatoes and spinach leaves.
Finally, add a few sprinkles of oregano.
Pop your pizza in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
Let your pizza sit for about 5 minutes before you cut into it.









This was so quick and easy to make, and so good! I'm not really a huge fan of tomato sauce. Its not that I don't like it, I just like most other Italian sauces more. How brilliant to put Alfredo on pizza! It was so creamy, garlic-y and full of flavor. I loved the Italian flavors, and once in a while I would get a bite with a huge chunk of garlic. What can I say? I love garlic! The tomatoes burst in my mouth, and the spinach gave it a nice, fresh flavor. I loved this whole wheat crust. The pizza was soft, while the crust was nice and crunchy. I felt that the Alfredo made this pizza so rich and creamy, I don't think it really needed the cheese. This was such a great pizza, I will definilty be making this again!

Adapted from Family Food Finds Spinach Tomato Alfredo Pizza.

Do you like experimenting with different kids of pizza? Will you try this one too?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes

Hey everyone! First of all I wanted to start off by saying that this is my 100th post! *Throws confetti*

Second of all, today is my very best friend in the whole world's birthday, Sara! *Throws even more confetti* We have been friends for 16 years and I am so happy that we have been friends for so long. We have shared so many amazing memories and she is always there for me if I need help. She even created my lovely blog banner! Happy birthday Sara, I hope you have a wonderful day filled with happiness! :)

Now on the the food.

I am going to show you a product that I have loved for years: Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes.  Dr. Praeger makes all kinds of pancakes from spinach, to broccoli, and even sweet potato. They even have ones in dinosaur shapes so the kids can have fun while eating veggies!



I love the simple ingredients in these and the fact that there is no cholesterol or fat!  But of course what I love most is the convenience and the taste.



These are amazing and flavorful little patties. I love spinach so much and I love that I can enjoy a pancake made of spinach. They are so delicious and fluffy and taste fresh off the pan coming out of the microwave.



My favorite way to enjoy these is on top of some toast with garlic sprinkled on top, but there is something amazing about enjoying them on their own too to really appreciate how amazing they are!

Have you tried any of the Dr. Praeger's Pancakes? Which ones do you want to try?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Austin, Texas: Day 2

Hey guys! I hope you liked my last Austin post, because it's time for another!

After that rainy night, we all woke up to a beautiful day!  The sun was out, it was warm, and the air smelled like fresh flowers. We knew it was the perfect day to spend outside, and in one of the most vegetarian friendly cities in the world, it was time for a vegetarian restaurant.

Counter Culture is actually a vegan restaurant which also has lots of gluten free and raw food options.  All the food is locally grown and organic, and of course they recycle and compost!  Its an environmentalist's dream, so I was really happy to eat and support this local restaurant and make good vegan meal choices!



When we got to Counter Culture, brunch was still being served.  I was a little hesitant at first because I don't like breakfast foods since I don't eat meat or eggs.  But a totally vegan breakfast? Yes please! For the first (and only time this trip) my brother and I didn't end up ordering the same meal.  Even though I try to avoid eggs when I can, I still miss them. I used to love omelettes, but I haven't had one in ages. Amy's makes a tofu scramble, so I get my fill of that, but to have an omelette again?  I couldn't pass up the opportunity, no matter  how good everything else looked.  The "eggs" were made of tofu, and they actually tasted a lot eggier than I expected, though not as eggy as real eggs. Definitely eggier than the tofu scrambles I've had, so it was nice satisfying that egg craving, even if they were a little crumbly.  This omelette was filled with roasted potatoes and fresh, locally grown spinach.  It also had vegan cashew cheese in it which was mild and creamy, but still very good.

Even if my brother got a different meal than me, we both made sure to order a side of tempeh bacon.  I've never had tempeh before so I was excited to try it. I wish it was more bacony like some of the soy bacon's I've tried. It had more of a nutty flavor. It was alright, but definitely didn't fill my desire for bacon. My brunch also came with whole wheat, vegan toast and vegan butter which was very nice and light.



I love root beer, so when I saw they had an all-natural version, I knew I had to try it. It had a lighter and more natural taste that normal root beer. I loved that it was made with stevia!

After brunch we spent the rest of the day shopping at an outdoor mall and I was guilty of buying waaaaay too many clothes!

After a long day of shopping, it was time to eat again! The ongoing joke in my family is that all we do is eat. But with so many good restaurants around, its hard not to. For dinner we went to a place called Korente, which serves Asian fusion food.  What I loved about this place was the really interesting story behind it.  The father of the man that opened the store was an Asian diplomat, so the family traveled all over Asia.  While traveling, his mother learned how to cook food from many different countries   She then thought her son, who decide to use this knowledge to open Korente.



Again, David and I both ordered the veggie curry with rice medallions and tofu on top of greens. I have to say I was in love with those rice medallions.  I had never tried anything like it before.  They were both chewy and smooth with a rice flavor.  Its hard to describe but it was so good!  Everything was tossed together in a flavorful and spicy curry. However, the most exciting part of the meal was the vegan miso soup! I love miso, but I never get it when ordering out since I'm never sure if it is vegetarian, or if it has fish stock in it.  We all shared some Asian pickles, bamboo soaked in pickle juice and jalapeños. They were so crunchy, fresh, and spicy, we couldn't stop eating them!

After dinner we stopped by Whole Foods (the cooperate office is in Austin!) to pick up some treats that I will show you in my next post :)

Do you have vegan restaurants in you area? How easy is it for you to find vegetarian options when you go out to eat?

Don't forget to stay tuned for my last Austin post coming up!

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls - Spinach, Tomato, Mozzarella

Hello everyone!  I hope everyone has enjoyed their February from Valentines to presidents week, and of course all the snow.  During a cold day, I love browsing through Pinterest and saving recipes that look easy to make and delicious.  I also like to find meals that can be easily adaptable for me to fit me, and my boyfriend's diets. He, of course, eats meat and I don't.  On top of that I don't like the veggies he likes, and he doesn't like the ones I like.  So it is really hard to make a meal that we can both enjoy.  Then I was inspired by Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.



I have seen lost of recipes on TV and online, of different ways you can roll and stuff the crescent rolls to make little meals out of them.  I thought that was perfect for us!  That way we could each make our own filled with the foods we like.  We went to the store and agreed on butter garlic flavored crescent rolls, then we each bought the ingredients to fill our own rolls.



I started mine by cutting up mozzarella and tomatoes and making small piles of them at the large side of the triangles   Then I added a couple spinach leaves on top.  Finally I sprinkled some basil and garlic.  Once you have piled on what you'd like, just roll them from the large end down to the small end. Then you bake in the oven according to the directions on the crescent roll package.





What I love about these is that they are completely customizable.  You can literally fill it with ANYTHING you want.  From pizza sauce and cheese, to samosa ingredients, even cream cheese and jelly to make breakfast!





These were so good!  The rolls were warm and flaky, and I loved the hot tomatoes and melty cheese. They were so easy to make and delicious, which are the two most important things to me while cooking.  I am so excited to think of more combinations with make with these!

Have you ever made stuffed crescent rolls?  Which fillings should I try next?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Amy's Indian Spinach Tofu Wrap

Hello everyone!  I hope you are all having a nice weekend so far.   Today I have one of my absolute favorite Amy's wraps.  I first saw Amy's Indian Spinach Tofu Wrap in a supermarket in Pennsylvania, when I used to go to college there.  I would always stock up and buy a lot of them on each shopping trip so I knew I would have them when I wanted.  Unfortunately, once I moved back home to New York, I was sad to learn that my supermarket didn't carry them.  I even saw them in the stores when I visited my boyfriend in PA, but I couldn't bring them home since the trip was 2 hours, and they are frozen.

Then a magical day happened, when I went to a local heath food store and there they were in the freezer section!  I was filled with joy and bought lots of them, as I did back in PA.  I am so glad I found them, these wraps are so good, I couldn't think about how I would never have them again.







This is so delicious!  It is filled with spinach which I love, plus it has tofu in it too!  Pretty much my two favorite things.  Plus it is really healthy, and is filled with nutrients that are essential for vegetarians, iron in the spinach and protein in the tofu.  These are vegan, healthy, organic, but taste so amazing that you would never know it! My roommates in college would always tell me how amazing it smelled when I made it, and always wanted to try some!

Have you had these spinach and tofu wraps? Will you be going out and getting them?  How do you guys get more protein and iron in your diet?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Amy's Spinach Pizza Pocket

Hello everyone! Today I have another Amy's Pocket to show ya.  I really love these little pockets.  I remember as a kid loving Hot Pockets, but being said there was only one flavor that was vegetarian.  Now that I know more about food, I will never eat a Hot Pocket again, but I still love all the cheesy pizza flavor.  Of course when I am reminiscing about food, usually Amy's has the solution.  I have shown you other Amy's pockets, and today we have Spinach Pizza.  So far, this is my favorite of all the pockets.  It is full of cheese and pizza flavor so its kind of like you are eating bad food, but there is also lots of spinach stuffed in, so you can feel goo about eating healthy.  For vegetarians, spinach is super important to us, as is has a lot of iron that we aren't getting from red meat.  I eat a lot of spinach, and I have never had an iron deficiency. Take that all you nay-sayers that thing vegetarians are not healthy!







These pockets are exploding with spinach, cheese, and flavor!  They may not look the prettiest, but they taste amazing, take my word for it!

Have you tried these Amy's Spinach Pockets? Will you be getting them on your next shopping trip?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Amy's Spinach Feta in a Pocket Sandwich

Hello everyone! Sorry about the late post, I have been so busy working and getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner that I haven't had much time to sit down and post.  Today I just have a quick one, reviewing one of my favorite foods!

SPANIKOPITA! Which is my favorite Greek food.  The traditional way to make it is with spinach and feta cheese in layers of phyllo dough.  This was my favoirte food that my grandma would cook for me, but to make it healthier, she used whole grain crust.

I was ecstatic when I found Amy's Spinach Feta in a Pocket.  It is pretty easy to fine pre-made and frozen traditional spanikopita.  But the Amy's pocket is in a crust, not phyllo dough, like my grandma made.





These pockets are stuffed with delicious spinach and lots of feta cheese! They are so tasty, and really remind me of my grandma's on unique spanikopita.  As I have told you before, plain Greek yogurt and spanikopita are a match made in heaven.  When I pair the two, I am taken back to my delicious childhood.





What foods remind  you of your family? Do you love spinach and feta as much as I do?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

The Corner Room

Hello veggie world!  As I am writing this I am enjoying a nice evening inside, cuddling with and getting kisses from my cat, while a blanket of snow covers my yard and all the trees still standing from the hurricane.  I really hop everyone is getting by after these past two storms in New York.

However, I want to talk more about my birthday weekend that I spent at Penn State.  I used to go to PSU frequently, back when I went to school in PA, but now that I am back home in New York, I only go about twice a year.  While visiting there often, I found many places that I loved eating at, and now when I go back to visit I make sure to hit all my favorites.  One of my absolute favorite places to eat at is The Corner Room.  The restaurant itself is nothing too special  just a nice little place connected to a bar.  But they have a few vegetarian options and they are all delicious!




I started with an appetizer on the specials list, green salad flat bread.  This was so good! It was spinach  feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes and kalamata olives on top of a layer of amazing garlic hummus, all piled on four slices of flat bread.  I cannot tell you how good this was! I love Greek flavors (yay Greek heritage!) and this was so fresh and delicious!




Ben started with an order of mozzarella sticks, and of course I had to steal one or two.  These were so good too!  The outside was perfectly crispy while the insides were soft and cheesy.  It came with some really tasty marinara sauce for dipping.

The main reason I go to The Corner Room is for the amazing veggie burger they have!



They serve Garden Burger brand for their veggie burgers and they add a verity of California flavors. This burger comes with tomato, sprouts, avocado, red onion, tomato mayo, and melted cheese all on a deli roll. So good!  This veggie burger always comes with a side of mangos! How awesome is that??

I happily stuffed my face with these amazing vegetarian dishes.  If you ever find yourself in the Penn State area, first go to Mario's, then go to The Corner Room.  Then to the creamery!

What are your favorite veggie burger toppings?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Health is Wealth Spinach Munchees

Hello everyone! Today I have another frozen option to share with you.  These are Health is Wealth Spinach Munchees!  Of course these are vegetarian but they are also all natural and lactose free, for all those that are intolerant.

I am obsessed with spinach. No seriously obsessed. I love it cold and raw, as well as stir fried and covered in cheese.  It really in a super food, especially to us vegetarians!  I know most vegetarians are concerned with getting all thier protein, but protein is super easy to get!  What we need help with is iron.  Meat, especially red meat, is packed with iron, so that means we need to find other ways to get it.  That's where spinach comes in. It is a great source of iron especially to those that don't eat meat. I have posted about spinach before and I'll do it again if I get the chance! Ya hear! 

These bites are super delicious and quick to make when you need that burst of iron.  They are stuffed with spinach and soy cheese in a chewy wheat wrap. Can't get much better then that! These are a great side to any meal or a snack on their own. 

Have you ever tried these Spinach Munchees? Plan on picking some up?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip and Chips!

Good morning everyone! 

How many of you love artichoke spinach dip?  I remember the first time I tried it I loved it, and now it can be found at almost every restaurant!  It is so creamy and cheesy, you almost forget it is full of veggies!  I found a great frozen dip at Trader Joe's and I had to pick it up!  You just pop it in the microwave and you make a perfect little meal for one, or a restaurant worthy appetizer!

I paired this with some great simple tortilla chips that I also picked up at Trader Joe's.

Look how simple those ingredients are! Gotta love it!

This was definitely a great find and I will be purchasing it again!

Do you guys like spinach and artichoke dip as much as I do? Have you tried this delicious one from Trader Joe's yet?

Bye from the Veggie Side!