Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

Hey pasta lovers!

This dish was inspired by my want for sauteed vegetables and my mom's want for pasta...yay for collective efforts!

Since it was first made, I have also been able to make the dish in college, as it uses a single pan, and really any combination of preferred vegetables.

The Recipe: Sauteed Vegetables in Penne Rigatoni

• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 box Penne Rigatoni pasta 
• 1/4 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water

The Process: 

• Boil 1-2 inches of water in a covered, stove-top pot.
• Once the water is boiling, cook pasta for 7-9 minutes on medium to low heat, depending on your stove. 
• Heat a stove-top pan on high. 
• Once the pan is heated, allow the butter to melt on the pan, turning the pan to help the butter spread. 
• Turn the heat to medium. 
• Add carrots, salt, and pepper.
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add green beans, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Add mushrooms, and mix the pan with a spatula by folding it over itself multiple times. 
• Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, checking and turning the mix periodically. 
• Once the pasta is finished cooking, strain it and allow it to cool slightly. 
• Once the vegetables are finished cooking, remove the top of the pan, and turn off the heat.
• Once the pasta is cooled, serve it into bowls (should be 2-4 servings). 
• Once the pasta is in bowls, top it with vegetables as desired. 
• If desired, sprinkle cheese on top of the vegetables (at most 1 tsp). 
• Enjoy!

The Calories: 

Pasta: 800 calories

Carrots: 50 calories

Green Beans: 77 calories

Mushrooms: 68 calories

Butter: 25 calories

Salt/Pepper: insignificant calories

Water: 0 calories

________________________________

TOTAL: 1020 calories

This sounds like a lot, but if split between two people, that's only 510 calories each for two portions. If split between three people, 340 calories. If split between four people, 255 calories. 

What went right: 

        The pasta was a nice al dente, the vegetables cooked well, and the combination of ingredients worked in happy harmony. 

What went wrong: 

         Personally, I think the dish is carb-heavy. It would be nice to balance the carbs by altering the vegetable ratio, but in this case it might need some meat to ensure it is still just as filling. 

What I would do next time: 

         It would be good to try the dish with other seasonal vegetables, like a squash and pasta medley, or try varying the pasta:vegetable ratio and adding meats like sausage or chicken. 

Would I make this in college: 

        Oddly enough, I already have! I didn't make the dish as it is, but I held a pasta party and made pasta with marinara sauce for my dorm building, and sauteed vegetables for those who were Gluten Free. It's a very simple, quick dish to make, and leftovers are easy to keep and reheat. 

Overall, a quick, easy, healthy meal. No complaints :) 

Pretzel Bun Double Meat and Green Avocado Sandwich

Hey Sandwich Fans!

A sandwich is one of the most theoretically simple dishes in the world. However, this means everyone's a critic. We all have our favorite sandwiches...this healthy sandwich has definitely become a favorite of mine!

The Recipe: Pretzel Bun Double Meat and Green Avocado Sandwich

• Pretzel Bun
• 2 ounces of thinly sliced honey ham
• 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 avocado, sliced

The Process:

• Using a knife with a serrated edge, slice the bun in half
• On each side of the bun, lay one ounce of ham
• On one side of the bun, lay the romaine lettuce
• On the other side of the bun, lay the avocado slices
• Close the bun
• Enjoy! 

The Calories: 

Pretzel Bun: 200 calories (depends on size)

Ham: 60 calories

Lettuce: 8 calories

Avocado: 161 calories

____________________________

TOTAL: 429 calories

For under 500 calories, this is an exceptionally filling sandwich complete with a delicious and rich bun, 6 slices of ham, lettuce, and the superfood-avocado. 

What went right: 

          The meat to bread ratio and dry to wet ratios are pretty awesome. The pretzel bun makes this easy; a good bun will be nice and moist at the center. The lettuce adds the perfect amount of crunch. All the ingredients work nicely together. 

What went wrong: 

         I wouldn't say "wrong", but my personal sandwich preference is chicken or bacon with avocado. The ham definitely worked, considering this was a quick 'on the way out, take whatever's in the fridge' creation. 

What I would do next time:

         I would have liked to include some tomato, potentially cucumber, and use chicken or turkey instead of the ham. 

Would I make this in college: 

        Definitely. It's fast, simple, and healthy. All the qualities of a college meal! 

Overall, I was very pleased with this sandwich. Once I realized I was nearing the end, my bites grew increasingly smaller, savoring every moment. 

When two sides make a meal: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad and Roasted Broccoli/Honey Carrot Salad

Welcome/welcome back!

If you are a new visitor, I hope you enjoy my blog and my food! If you are a returning visitor, I hope you continue to enjoy my blog and my food! It is with your support that I am spurred to continue cooking...so thank you :)

When you hear "salad", most people think of a less-filling, low calorie substitute for a real meal. These salads definitely break that mold, and taste phenomenal together!

The Recipe: Roasted Broccoli and Honey Carrot Salad

• 1 cup broccoli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup frozen baby carrots

The Process:

• Set the oven to broil on High
• Put the broccoli in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the broccoli
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the broccoli
• Using a spatula, mix the broccoli so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 8 minutes, or until broccoli tips brown (depends on your oven)
• Put the carrots in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the carrots
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the carrots
• Using a spatula, mix the carrots so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 4 minutes
• Remove the carrots from the oven
• Drizzle honey and sprinkle brown sugar on the carrots
• Mix the carrots into the honey and brown sugar
• Broil for another few minutes, or until carrots develop a small skin
• Mix the finished carrots and broccoli

The Calories:

Broccoli: 30 calories
Carrots: 60 calories
Olive Oil: 120 calories (technically 240, although much of the oil ends up still on the pan after cooking, so not consumed)
Honey: 64 calories
Brown Sugar: 6 calories
_______________________
TOTAL: 280 calories

Not bad! This salad alone is very filling and again, the oil content is still probably less than 120 calories after cooking.

What went right:
          Everything :) The carrots especially taste like candy. So delicious!

What went wrong:
         Nothing. I've done roasted vegetables many times, so I didn't expect any problems.

What would I do next time:
         I might try an olive oil substitute that contains less calories, but I don't really see that as a need. When you're having veggies for dinner, guilt is not on the menu.

Would I make this in college:
         Absolutely! I make this quite frequently, and am glad to have found a new partner salad to go with it.


The Recipe: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad

• 2 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 cup halved Cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup shredded Chicken breast (leftovers)
• 1 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
• 10 whole, dry Cashews

The Process:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Put your shredded chicken in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle with teriyaki sauce and mix until all chicken is as saturated as possible
• Bake at 375 for about 5 minutes to heat the chicken and allow sauce to sink in
• If your lettuce comes from a bag, you will not need to chop it. If you buy whole heads of lettuce: Wash the leaves. Rip off about 4, depending on the size of the leaves. stack them on top of one another and compress the pile so that you can chop them all the way down the stem. The "leafier" part should be chopped larger than the part with more stem. Put these at the base of salad platter.
• Lay your cucumber slices around the edges of the lettuce. 
• Spread shredded chicken in the center of the cucumber ring. 
• Chop your cashews. 
• Bake at 375 for about 2 minutes. 
• Sprinkle across the entire salad. 

The Calories:

Lettuce: 12 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Chicken: 116 calories

Sauce: 15 calories

Cashews: 50 calories

_______________________________

TOTAL: 196 calories

Pretty awesome for a salad :) If you must add dressing, be wary of what you add...not only could you screw up the teriyaki flavor, but you also run a risk of nearly doubling your calorie and fat content! 

What went right: 

         Everything. I love this salad. I'm very glad I decided to roast the cashews and use teriyaki. They definitely make fridge dump salad taste like so much more. 

What went wrong:

         Nothing. 

What I would do next time: 

         If we had multiple types of greens such as kale or spinach I would add those too. 

Will I do this in college?:

         Yeah this is definitely the kind of leftovers dish I can see making in college :) It was fast, easy, healthy, and definitely delicious. 

Overall, these two dishes make an attractive, addictive, less calorie, more filling pair!

Deceptively Healthy Dessert: Fat Free Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Welcome Deceptively Healthy Baking Fans! 

I was skeptical of this cookie recipe when I came across it on Pinterest. 'Fat free' and 'chocolate cookie' just didn't seem to fit in the same paragraph, much less recipe title. As the cookies came together, it made more sense...

The Recipe: Fat Free Chewy Chocolate Cookies

• 1.5 Cups Flour
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Karo syrup
• 3 egg whites 

The Process:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Butter a cookie sheet or spray with cooking spray
• In a large bowl, mix/sift the cocoa, baking soda, flour, sugar, and salt. Try to get out all the lumps.
• Crack your eggs into a smaller bowl, separating the whites from the yolks by carefully transferring the yolk back and forth between the egg shell halves. (You can save the yolks separately for later use in any other small container. If you do not save them separately, remember to label the container '3 egg yolks', so you know later on)
• Add the egg whites and Karo (corn syrup) to the dry ingredients
• Mix until the dough becomes thick, sticky, and thoroughly blended
• Use a spoon to drop small cookie balls onto the cookie sheet (the recipe says it makes 30, but I made almost 60...size matters!)
• Bake for 7-9 minutes, watching to see that the cookies rise
• They will still be soft to the touch, but a toothpick test will come out dry
• Allow cookies to cool and set for a couple minutes
• When storing, be sure to use wax paper to separate the cookies, and do not lock them into the container. Otherwise, they will stick together. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Again, I've taken this recipe from another source. The only thing I changed was the salt content, which I cut in half. Additionally, mine were smaller. The recipe online says 55 calories per cookie. This makes mine about 27 calories per chewy chocolate cookie, and zero fat! 

What went right: 

         They are fantastic!!! Everyone who's had one loved it. They almost taste like brownies, and the small size, zero fat, and low calorie content makes them guilt-free as well :) 

What went wrong: 

         The first time I packaged them, I learned that they stick together. This was quickly remedied, and did nothing to the amazing taste of the cookies.

What I would do next time:

          A few new recipes for the batter come to mind...

1. Fat Free Blondie Cookies (no cocoa powder and light Karo syrup)
2. Fat Free Chewy Chocolate cookies with walnuts (add walnuts...could be done with pecans or almonds as well)
3. Fat Free Chewy Chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips (add white chocolate chips)
4. Fat Free Chewy Chocolate cupcakes with banana chocolate frosting (made with a frozen banana and unsweetened cocoa powder)
5. Chewy Chocolate Boston Creme cupcakes (bake cupcakes, cut the top open, fill with custard, close, and top with all natural, home made whipped cream)
6. Fat Free Chewy Chocolate cake batter (filling can vary from raspberries to chocolate truffle/mousse and caramel...possibilities are endless)

Will I do this in college:

          To all my lovely future classmates who so kindly read my blog, I promise you I will be making these cookies a LOT! They are quick and easy and -for the 15th time- fat free!

This recipe is definitely going to come back in other forms, so stay tuned for the fat free results!