Stuffed Shells with Spinach Basil Pesto

Roasted baby white eggplant and homemade seitan are stuffed into large pasta shells and topped with a spinach basil pesto.

What is it about pasta dishes? I've always craved them since I was a kid, eating instant ramen and tuna casserole (before vegan). Spaghetti and marinara was my cheap staple in college. And I could never turn down a ravioli or lasagna.

One thing that's different since I became a vegan, is the lack of cheese in these dishes. True, there are some great subs out there, but I find myself without them sometimes, because they tend to be expensive and I've been trying to cut down on processed foods.

To make up for the lack of creaminess, I used pureed roasted eggplant in the filling, and "cheesy" cashews in the pesto. It was so rich and full of flavor, I didn't miss a thing!

These beauties came from my garden. They're little white eggplant- something I've never seen in the supermarkets.

This is what they look like after roasting - too bad they don't stay white!

Spinach Basil Pesto
Ingredients:

1/2 C. cashews
1 C. fresh basil
2 C. fresh spinach
3 cloves garlic (I used roasted, but you may want to cut back if using raw)
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt to taste

Spinz:

Process the cashews until you get a crumble. Put everything else in and puree until it becomes a smooth sauce.

Stuffed Shells
Ingredients:

1 12-oz. package of jumbo pasta shells
2 C. roasted eggplant
3 cloves roasted garlic
1 C. chopped seitan
1/2 C. roasted onion
1 C. roasted summer squash
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried rosmary
salt & pepper to taste

Spinz:

Cook the shells as directed. Puree the eggplant, garlic, and summer squash. Add the seitan and pulse until small, but still a little chunky. Mix in the spices to taste. Drain shells, and let cool enough to handle. Use a spoon to fill with the mixture. I did have some shells left over.

I also ate mine with more cooked veggies and some good marinara sauce.

Don't Need No Parm on My Eggplant & Cauliflower Garlic Bread

I read Tofu 666's "tweet" on Twitter that eggplant parmesan was on the menu tonight, and when I saw some beautiful eggplant at the market, I couldn't resist! When I got home, Mark (my housemate) proclaimed that he was going to make some cheezy garlic bread and wanted to incorporate cauliflower (a pretty sneaky thing!). And when I mentioned the eggplant parmesan, it all came together. We also had a package of gourmet basil infused dry pasta- a bargain purchase from of all places, the Grocery Outlet, that was screaming to be included... so we ran with it and came up with the following:

We made A LOT of food, so you may want to scale down.

The Star: Crispy Baked Eggplant and Red Sauce

2 eggplants, sliced 1/2" thick
Vegenaise + a little water
bread crumbs

Spinz: Thin out the Vegennaise with a little water so it resembles a thin salad dressing. Dip the slices into this, then into the bread crumbs. Bake on a prepared sheet at 400 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until tender and crisp.

Sauce:
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 jars of chunky veggie marinara sauce
splash of red wine
splash of balsamic vinegar
few tablespoons sugar
dried herbs: basil, oregano, thyme
black pepper

Spinz: Saute the onion until tender, add the garlic and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the herbs, then add the sauce and remaining ingredients- taste and adjust as desired.

The Supporting Actor: Basil Pasta with Capers, Tomatoes, Garlic, and Toasted Almonds

1 8 oz. package pasta
1 C. fresh basil, ribboned
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. capers
1 C. tomatoes, chopped
sliced almonds, toasted
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Spinz: Prepare pasta to al dente mode. Add a little olive oil to the pan and add garlic, tomatoes, and capers. Stir for a few minutes and turn off heat. Toss in the basil and a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil as needed, salt and pepper to taste, and top with toasted almonds.

The Surprise Guest: Cauliflower Garlic Bread

1/2 C. raw cauliflower (tops only- no stem)
4 cloves roasted garlic
1/4 C. margarine
1/4 C. Vegennaise
1/4 block of Follow Your Heart mozararella
salt
green onions, thinly chopped

Spinz: puree the cauliflower, garlic, and vegan cheese. Mix together with margarine and vegenaise and salt. Spread thick layers onto sliced french bread. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions.

I really wanted to make ravioli for the "It's A Vegan World (Italian)" event, hosted by my girl, Vaishali over at Holy Cow!... but I may just send this one over!

Spicy Eggplant & Tofu With Garlic Sauce

I'm fortunate to be living relatively near Asian supermarkets, where I could probably spend all day looking in wonderment at all of the exotic ingredients that remind me of my childhood. As a 2nd-generation Asian, I don't make Asian food all the time, but still crave the flavors pretty often. Today, I made this dish using a black bean & garlic paste that may be found in regular supermarkets on the "Ethnic" isle if you're not close to any Asian markets. It is a blend of soy sauce, black beans, garlic, a little sugar and ginger. This is wonderful over rice, but I opted to put it over a bed of Korean vermicelli, which is a translucent noodle made of sweet potatoes... cool, huh?

1 T. oil
1 C. onions, chopped
3 C. eggplant, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained & cubed
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. black bean paste
1 T. hoisin sauce (should be more common in supermarkets)
1 T. red pepper flakes (adjust amount to your liking)
2 T. sugar
2 C. water + a little more to mix with cornstarch
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
3 green onions, sliced

Spinz:

Mix together the soy sauce, bean paste, hoisin, pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl. Saute the onions in the oil on high heat for a bit until just turning brown. Stir, and if it looks too dry, add a few tablespoons of water to help it along. Add eggplant, garlic, and pre-mixed sauce and stir to coat. Mix in 2 cups of water and let simmer. In a small bowl or cup, put in the cornstarch (first), then add a little water to dissolve. Add this to the mix to thicken it up. Lastly, add the green onions.