Quinoa with Sausage, Zucchini and Crimini Mushrooms

Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
8 oz. sausage
1 red sweet onion
12 crimini mushrooms
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato
Olive oil

Steps:
1. In a large sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and let simmer for 12 minutes.
2. Dice zucchini, mushrooms, onion and sun-dried tomato.
3. In a saute pan, heat olive oil. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink. Add vegetables and saute for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add quinoa to pan and toss well. Add olive oil as needed if dry.

Serves 2-3

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Fajita Bowl

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
1 large red bell pepper
1 onion
1 can black beans
4 mushrooms
1 cup uncooked white rice
Olive oil

Steps:
1. Boil 1 cup uncooked rice in 2 cups water or use a rice cooker. Set aside
2. Peel and dice sweet potato. In a skillet, grill in olive oil, turning so sides brown evenly. 
3. Dice onion and bell pepper. Add to skillet and caramelize, about 4-5 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile dice mushrooms. Combine mushrooms and black beans with skillet ingredients, cooking for an additional 4-6 minutes, until warm throughout. 
5. Serve vegetables over rice. 

Serves 3-4

Swiss Chard & Sausage Pasta

Ingredients: 
1/2 lb. pasta
1 bunch swiss chard
8 red pearl onions
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 roma tomato
3/4 cup mushrooms
2/3 lb. Italian sausage
2 tbsp olive oil
Mizithra cheese

Steps:
1. Boil pasta for 6-8 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a skillet cook Italian sausage until lightly browned and no longer pink.
3. Rinse vegetables. Chop swiss chard, mushrooms and tomatoes into 1/4 in. pieces 
4. In a large sauce pan combine olive, garlic, swiss chard and mushrooms. Cook until swiss chard is wilted. 
5. Add pasta, tomatoes and sausage. Toss well and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve with grated mizithra cheese.

Serves 2-3

Ratatouille Inspired Pasta

Usually I go to the store with a plan -- a meal I saw in a magazine, in one of my numerous cookbooks or while perusing blogs online. But every once in a while I let spontaneity rule my shopping trip and yesterday, while at the market I couldn't help but be inspired by some colorful fresh vegetables. Immediately I thought of ratatouille. Since I wanted a light meal, instead of using it as a side dish, I decided to toss it over pasta. So much bright color and flavor, packed into a really simple dish. And what's even better about this dish, if you have leftover vegetables, they'll work great mixed into scrambled eggs or tossed with meat and soy sauce for a 2-minute stir fry.

Ingredients:
1 small onion
1 orange bell pepper
2 zucchini
7-10 baby bella mushrooms
1 large tomato
3 tbsp. olive oil
Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups pasta

Steps:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. When al dente, rinse and set aside. 
2. Dice onion, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes into roughly 1/4 in. pieces.
3. In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp. olive oil, and add onion and bell pepper. Saute until onions are translucent.
4. Add zucchini and saute for about 5 minutes, tossing so all sides will lightly caramelize. 
5. Add Italian seasoning and mushrooms, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft. 
6. Lastly, add pasta and tomatoes, stirring until tomatoes are heated through, about 2 minutes. 

Serves 2-3

Summer Vegetable Strata

Ingredients: 
1/2 loaf french bread
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Italian squash (zucchini or yellow squash)
2 large roma tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp garlic

Steps:
1. Oil a deep baking dish and set aside.
2. Cut or rip french bread into 1 inch pieces. Place into baking dish.
2. Slice squash into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. Cut tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. In a large mixing bowl, toss mushroom, squash, and tomatoes with olive oil.
5. In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs. Then add milk, garlic and Italian seasoning to taste and stir to combine.
6. Pour the egg mixture evenly over french bread, ensuring it soaks into all pieces of the bread.
7. Spread vegetables evenly over the bread and then top with mozzarella cheese. 
8. Let the dish rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
9. Bake the strata for 20 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves 3-5

Chili Chicken Chow Mein

Ingredients

4 baby bok choy

5 scallions

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

12 oz. bean sprouts (1 package)

1/4 lb. chicken

1 tbsp chili garlic paste

1 tbsp mirin rice seasoning

1 lb. chow mein

Soy sauce

Canola oil

Olive oil

Steps

1. Boil 4 cups water. When water has reached a rolling boil, add chow mein noodles. Cook for 3 minutes and then rinse and toss with 2 tbsp soy sauce.

2. Fry chow mein noodles in 2-3 tbsp canola oil until crispy. Set aside.
3. Cut chicken into thin strips. In a separate pan, toss chicken with soy sauce and cook until no longer pink.
4. Rinse baby bok choy and cut into 1 inch pieces. Dice scallions.
5. Add baby bok choy, scallions, mushrooms and bean sprouts to pan with chicken. Add 1 tbsp chili garlic paste, 1 tbsp mirin rice seasoning and stir fry until bok choy begins to wilt. Add additional soy sauce if desired to taste.
6. Toss stir fry with chow mein and serve.

Serves 3-4

Italian Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients

1/2 lb italian sausage

8-10 asparagus spears

1/2 cup olives

1 tomato

1 cup quinoa

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup onions

1 portabella mushroom

1 zucchini

1 eggplant

1 tsp garlic

Italian seasoning

3 tbsp olive oil

Steps

1. Combine quinoa and chicken broth in a rice cooker or pan and let steam for 20-25 minutes.

2. In a sauté pan, cook Italian sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks.

3. Meanwhile, dice onions, tomato, portabella, zucchini, eggplant and asparagus. Cut olives in half.

4. Add onion, zucchini, eggplant, portabella, garlic and olive oil to the sauté pan with the sausage. Sauté until vegetables are browned.

5. Add olives, tomatoes and cooked quinoa to the pan. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes or until warmed throughout, stirring occasionally.

Serves 2-3

Sautéed Vegetable Salad

Ingredients2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 white onion

1 red bell pepper

1 portabella mushroom

2 cup arugula

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (other crumbled soft cheeses can be substituted)

Steps

1. Wash arugula and set aside to drain.

2. Julienne cut onion, bell pepper and portabella mushroom.

3. In a skillet, heat olive oil and add onions. Sauté for about 4 minutes, or until onions begin to turn translucent.

4. Add bell pepper, mushroom and Italian seasoning. Toss and sauté until vegetables are slightly browned.

5. Plate arugula, topping with sautéed vegetables. Add about 1/4 cup blue cheese, more or less as desired.

Serves 2

Fresh Feta Salad

Ingredients:

1 small bell pepper

1/2 large tomato

6 white mushrooms

2 cups lettuce

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Caesar dressing (or your personal favorite)

Steps:

1. Cut or rip lettuce into small pieces. Place in serving bowl.

2. Chop bell pepper, tomato and mushrooms. Add to bowl.

3. Top with feta cheese and salad dressing, then toss.

Serves 1-2.

Ricotta Bruschetta Pasta

Ingredients:

Angel hair pasta

Olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp garlic powder

10 oz canned stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. Cook angel hair pasta until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Rinse and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add 3 tbsp olive oil, onions, artichokes, mushrooms and garlic powder. Mix well, and cook until soft.

3. Add stewed tomatoes and ricotta cheese and let simmer.

4. Serve sauce over angel hair pasta, top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Serves 3

Salmon and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
Salmon:
Two 4 oz Salmon Fillets
Minced Garlic
Olive Oil
Pepper
Lemon Juice
Dressing:Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Dijon Mustard

Salad:1 bunch Spinach
1 cup Walnuts
1/2 Onion
8 Mushrooms
1/4 cup Goat Cheese

** ingredient amounts subject to your taste
Steps:1. Marinate salmon in minced garlic, olive oil and pepper. Cook adding lemon juice, until done (light pink and firm).
2. In a bowl, mix equal parts balsamic vinegar, olive oil and dijon mustard adding more for desired taste.
3. Toss all salad ingredients into a large bowl and mix with dressing. Top with salmon.

Serves 3-4

Thanks to Danielle for helping create this recipe!!