Balsamic Garden Pasta Salad

Balsamic Garden Pasta Salad by Robyn Dunbaugh

1 pound fusilli pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
2 cups mixed greens
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 ounce cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain, then rinse with cold water; transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Add to the pasta and toss; let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Add the mixed greens, bell pepper, mozzarella, onion, parsley and vinegar to the pasta and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Visit the Sanity Health Challenge for additional ideas!

Grilled Ratatouille Boats

Grilled Ratatouille Boats!  by Robyn Dunbaugh

2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 eggplant, cubed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Scoop balls of flesh from the center of the zucchini to create boats; reserve the flesh balls. Preheat a grill to medium-high.

Heat 1 tbsp. Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil, the eggplant and zucchini balls; cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley; season with salt and pepper.

Fill the zucchini shells with the ratatouille, sprinkle with the cheese and grill, covered, over medium-high until the cheese is melted and the shells are slightly softened. YUM! :)

For help with transitioning to a plant-based diet, check out the Sanity Health Challenge!

Bake-off Flunkie Hummus

My friend Tiffiny put this on her blog The Bake-Off Flunkie.  Yum.  Hummus.

2 15-oz cans garbonzo beans, drained, 1/2-cup liquid reserved

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

3 cloves garlic

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients, except the reserved bean liquid and olive oil, in a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade.

2. Pulse three times (3-5 seconds each pulse), and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, add the olive oil, and 4-6 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid. Run the processor until the hummus is very smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once.

Learn more about the Sanity Health Challenge!  Click here!

Veggie Hummus Wrap

Ingredients:

    1 (12 inch) whole wheat tortillas
    1/2 cup hummus
    1/8 cup cucumber
    1/8 cup diced tomato
    1/8 cup bell pepper
    1/8 cup shoestring carrots
    3 slices red onions
    alfalfa sprout
    lettuce

Directions: 

1.    microwave tortilla for a few seconds to make it pliable.

2.     spread hummus over tortilla.

3.    add assorted veggies.

4.    add lettuce last.

5.    roll up and slice in half or eat whole. enjoy!

Click here for more information about the Sanity Health Challenge!

Mexican Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 8 ounces chunky pasta ( such as rotini, wheels, medium macaroni, etc)
• 1 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn ( or the equivalent in frozen corn)
• 1/2 large red onions, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large bell peppers, chopped ( green, red, yellow - whatever color you have on hand)
• 1 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 -2 tablespoon lemon juice ( you can also use lime juice)
• pepper, to taste
• tastefully simple ranch fiesta dip mix, to taste or 1 spicy seasoning mix (such as Mrs Dash Extra Spicy) or 1 garlic powder
• cilantro, chopped,to taste 
• Kirkland Organic No-Salt Seasoning, to taste (this is what really gives it flavor!)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta (al dente) During approximately the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the corn.
2. While the pasta/corn mixture is cooking, combine all other ingredients (except for the cheese) in a large bowl.
3. Drain the pasta and corn.
4. Rinse the pasta and corn in cold water until the mixture is cool or cold.
5. Add the pasta/corn mixture to the other ingredients and mix

For more information about joining the Sanity Health Challenge, click here.

Taco Salad

About a month ago, my bestie and I bought a bag of sprouted dried beans at Costco.  Since then, we have experimented, putting it into salads and other recipes.  It actually makes a great taco filling!  We used the following recipe tonight for dinner.

Vegan Taco Filling - serves a lot, and can be used as a chili

2 cups TruRoots Organic Bean Trio 

1 cup organic quinoa

1 green bell pepper chopped

1 onion chopped

3 pieces of garlic chopped

1 can of organic diced tomatoes

1/4 cup lawrey's taco seasoning

2 tsp organic coconut oil

Make the Organic Bean Trio and Quinoa according to the instructions.  Sautee the chopped bell pepper and onion in the coconut oil.  Put all of the ingredients into a crockpot and turn on high for one hour, then turn down to low, mix every hour or so, and let simmer.

Serve as tacos with corn tortillas or tortillas of choice.  Or, put on top of a salad of romaine.

For more information about joining the Sanity Health Challenge, click here.