Recipe for Meatless Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Herbs

Recipe for Meatless Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Herbs

A delicious meatless sauce for penne pasta with white beans, roasted tomatoes, and herbs.

(Updated with new photos and better instructions, November 2012.)  The longer you've been food blogging, the more certain it is is that you have some wonderful recipes back in the archives with really ghastly photos.  When I spotted this recipe from 2007 for Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Rosemary, I remembered it had been good, but I knew I had to take new photos if I was going to entice anyone to try this for a Meatless Monday dinner.  Luckily,  I had slow roasted tomatoes in the freezer and fresh rosemary and basil in the garden, and although re-taking old photos can sometimes seem like an endless job, eating the food again is definitely one of the best perks of blogging.  (Scroll down past the step-by-step photos to see the picture from 2007.)

The recipe is from a cookbook called 50 Great Pasta Sauces that I received as a review copy (back when I accepted products to review.) The recipe in the book called for soaking white beans and cooking them in lots of stock, which I'm sure would be great, but I made this on day I didn't plan ahead and the sauce was wonderful even with canned beans.  I used chicken stock, but if you make this with vegetable stock and skip the Parmesan, this pasta dish would be vegan.  (You can find more meatless recipes by using the label Meatless Monday or checking Vegetarian Recipes in the recipe index, and I'm also doing a meatless slow cooker recipe each Monday on Slow Cooker from Scratch.  For more Meatless Monday ideas from other bloggers checkMeatless Monday at BlogHer, where I write a weekly post spotlighting one of the fabulous meatless recipe ideas I find around the web or visit my Meatless Monday Pinterest board.)

If you don't have slow roasted tomatoes in the freezer, you can start with some fresh tomatoes and roast them for a few hours in the oven.  

The original recipe had celery and carrots, but this time I increased the tomatoes and used plenty of chopped red onion, minced garlic, and fresh rosemary.  (If you only have dried rosemary, I would grind it  or mash in a mortar and pestle.)

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pan; saute the red onion and then the garlic.

Add the chicken or vegetable broth with the cooked (or canned) beans, and simmer about 10 minutes. 

Then add the chopped fresh rosemary and simmer about 10 minutes more.  (Start the pasta water boiling when you add the rosemary, and add the salt and pasta when the water boils.)

Cook the pasta until it's just al dente, according to package directions.  Drain the pasta well, saving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water in case you want to add it.

By now the sauce has cooked down so it's fairly thick like this.  Add the tomatoes and cook about 5-10 minutes more.

I made this when I still had fresh basil, so I added 1/4 cup to the sauce at this point.  (If you don't have basil you could add a few tablespoons of pesto, or just skip the basil.)

Then add the drained pasta and stir gently to combine.  If you think it looks dry, add some of the pasta cooking water.  Serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

And as promised, here is the original photo from 2007.  (Yikes.)

Meatless Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Herbs
(Makes 4 servings, recipe adapted from50 Great Pasta Sauces.)

Sauce Ingredients: 
10-12 small tomatoes, roasted (or use 1 cup slow roasted tomatoes)
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion (1 small onion)
1/4 cup minced garlic (or less, but this was great with all the garlic)
2 cups homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock (or 1 can broth plus a little water)
1 can (15 oz) white beans with juice (or use 2 cups pre-cooked white beans)
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2-3 T basil pesto), optional
1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Ingredients:
3 cups (uncooked) Dreamfields Penne or other pasta of your choice (Use Dreamfields or whole wheat pasta for South Beach Diet)
1 tsp. salt, for pasta cooking water
1/2 cup or more coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

If you need to roast the tomatoes, preheat oven to 250 F.  Cut tomatoes in fourths lengthwise, sprinkle with sea salt and roast 2 hours on a cookie sheet that's covered with foil.

When tomatoes are nearly done roasting, chop onion, and rosemary and mince the garlic.  Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan, then add onions and saute about 5 minutes, until just starting to brown.  Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes more.

Add chicken stock and canned beans, turn heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Add the chopped rosemary and cook about 10 minutes more. Then add the roasted tomatoes and cook 5-10 minutes more.  Stir in the chopped basil or pesto if using and turn off the heat.

While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes for Dreamfields. Drain well, saving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the reserved cooking water if needed.  Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Printer Friendly Recipe

South Beach Suggestions:

Made with Dreamfields or whole wheat pasta, you could have a small serving of this for phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, or a larger serving for phase 3.  (I have recently learned that if Dreamfields pasta is cooked for a long time or reheated it increases the glycemic index, so this recipe is probably only for phase 3 if reheated.)

Nutritional Information? I chose the South Beach Diet to manage my weight partly so I wouldn't have to count calories, carbs, points, or fat grams, but if you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into Calorie Count, which will calculate it for you.

More Meatless Pasta Recipes to try:
Pasta with Slow Roasted Tomatoes from The Perfect Pantry
Vegetarian Whole Wheat Pasta with Fried Kale, Tomato Sauce, and Goat Cheesefrom Kalyn's Kitchen
Mushroom Bolognese from The Italian Dish
Penne Pasta with Wilted Arugula, Basil, Ricotta, and Parmesan Sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen
Pasta with Roasted Vegetables from Apple a Day

Blogger Disclosure:

Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Kalyn's Kitchen earns a few cents on the dollar if readers purchase the items I recommend, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!

This was originally posted as my contribution for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by The Chocolate Lady from In Mol Araan.

Recipe For Egg Muffins (Revisited again)

Recipe For Egg Muffins (Revisited again)

These little "muffins" made of egg, veggies, cheese and optional meat are a perfect grab-and-go breakfast!

First posted in 2005, updated January 2008; now I use the individual silicone cups pictured above to bake my egg muffins.)  I was adding posts to the Recipe Favoritessection of my recipe archives and was shocked to notice I only had one recipe for favorite breakfasts. Since I'm currently doing phase one for a few weeks egg muffins are something I'll be cooking this weekend, and there's no doubt they're a recipe favorite. I've gone through a few versions to get the recipe just right and picked up a few tricks that I think you'll like.

I don't think of egg muffins as only for people who are eating the South Beach Dietway, although they're perfect for any phase of the diet. They're high in protein, gluten-free, and perfect to feed to kids. This is a great idea for breakfast for anyone who's busy in the morning and wants something that can be made ahead and eaten on-the-go.

Use silicone muffin tins or individual silicone cups, spray them with nonstick spray, and put them on a large cookie sheet to catch spills. The two ingredients I think are essential are cheese and green onions. Other than that, the varieties are endless. Put cheese, meat, or veggies in the muffin cups first, then pour in beaten eggs.  (Now I usually use the individual silicone muffins cups pictured above, but if you'd like a bigger "muffin" these are a little bigger.)

For me, two small muffins is the right amount for breakfast. No matter how many you eat, smaller ones reheat in the microwave more quickly, so they don't get overdone. I fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.

When muffins are done, loosen them with a knife before popping them out of the silicone muffin pan. Here's how big they are when they're cooked.

Let the muffins cool for 15-20 minutes before you store them in the refrigerator.  (I used to freeze them, but I find they keep in the fridge for over a week and I like them best when they haven't been frozen.)

Here's my favorite way to do it. As soon as the muffins have cooled, put two at a time into small plastic bags. Put the bags in the refrigerator. Then when you need a quick breakfast, open the bag, pop in the microwave until they're hot, grab the bag and run out the door with a quick breakfast. (Don't heat for too long or they can get rubbery.)  I confess, I eat them in the car on the way to school.

Egg Muffins Revisited 
(Makes 12 muffins, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from The South Beach Diet book.

Ingredients:
15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins or individual silicone cups. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.)
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional, if you have food allergies or don't have Spike, use any type of seasoning blend that's good with eggs.)
1-2 cups grated low fat cheese (I like sharp cheddar or a blend of cheddar/Jack cheese, use less cheese if using meat)
Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small.
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep more than a week in the refrigerator. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated, but I like them best when they are just refrigerated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 1-2 minutes to reheat.

Printer Friendly Recipe   South Beach Suggestions:

If you're a South Beach Diet fan, you can find lots of great recipes for breakfast in theEggs and Breakfast Dishes section of my recipe archives. There are even pancakes or egg burritos, made South Beach friendly. Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Nutritional Information?
I chose the South Beach Diet to manage my weight partly so I wouldn't have to count calories, carbs, points, or fat grams, but if you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into Calorie Count, which will calculate it for you. 

More Phase one Breakfasts:
Breakfast Casserole with Mushrooms, Green Bell Peppers, and Feta
Sausage, Mushrooms, and Feta with Eggs
Southwestern Egg Casserole
Eggs with Red Pepper, Basil, and Cheese
Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Feta

Other Bloggers Who Made Egg Muffins:(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly, check ingredients.)
Mini-Spinach Frittatas from Sugarlaws
Stilton, Leek, and Pepper Egg Muffins from Food Stories
Cottage Cheese Muffins from 101 Cookbooks
Cottage Cheese and Egg Muffins with Ham and Cheddar Cheese from Closet Cooking
Egg Muffins from A Veggie Venture
Spicy Baked Egg Muffins from Lisa's Kitchen
Cottage Cheese Muffins from Nami-Nami
(If you're a blogger who posted a version of this and I missed it, feel free to e-mail me your link)

Cottage Cheese and Egg Muffins for Phase 2 or 3: 
(these contain a small amount of flour, but they're delicious!)
Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins with Bacon and Green Onions
Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins with Ham and Cheddar

Blogger Disclosure:

Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Kalyn's Kitchen earns a few cents on the dollar if readers purchase the items I recommend, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!

90 Healthy No-Heat Lunches for Taking to Work

90 Healthy No-Heat Lunches for Taking to Work

Pack egg salad mixture, lettuce, and pita for Egg Salad in Pita with Green Olives, Green Onions and Dijon.

During the years I taught elementary school and also worked on this blog, I was grateful for leftovers that I could take to school and warm up for lunch,  But when you don't have a place to heat food at the workplace, healthy lunches are a lot more challenging.  I had a request on the Kalyn's Kitchen Facebook page to share ideas for healthy brown bag lunches that don't need to be heated, so for a few weeks now I've been looking for brown-bag friendly favorites that I'd enjoy for a healthy lunch.  Once I got started I found quite a few options; hope there is something here that will appeal to you if you're someone who packs a lunch for work!

In this round-up I focused on dishes I think will keep in the fridge for at least a day or two, but check individual recipes for more information about that.  Some of these dishes contain ingredients (like fresh tomatoes or avocados) that I'd cut up in the morning and add when I eat the lunch, although you might not be as fussy.   Many salads might be best if you refrigerated the dressing and salad separately and combined at lunchtime, and a few of the dishes (like the tostadas) would definitely need to be packed separately and then assembled when you eat them.  I did tell you what phase each recipe is for the South Beach Dieters, but check individual recipes for more specific information about limited foods (like dried beans, mayonnaise, or avocado.)


Salads with Tomatoes for a No-Heat Lunch: 

 

Not-so-Dumb Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Onions, Avocado, and Balsamic Vinegar (shown above, all phases)

Heart of Palm Salad with Tomato, Avocado, and Lime - with or without Cilantro (all phases)

Effie's Easy and Amazing Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar (all phases)

Tomato, Cucumber, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Tahini Dressing (all phases)

Tuna Fish and Tomato Salad with Sunflower Seeds (all phases)

Chopped Greek-Style Salad with Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell Peppers (all phases)

Tomatoes, Hearts of Palm, Olives, and Feta with Basil Vinaigrette (all phases)

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Marinated Garbanzo Beans (all phases)

Garbanzo, Tomato, and Cilantro Salad with Lime and Chile Dressing - with or without avocado (all phases)

Summer Tomato Salad with Avocado, Tuna, Cilantro, and Lime (all phases)

Tomato, Olive, and Fresh Mozzarella Salad with Basil Vinaigrette (all phases) 

 

    

Pitas, Tostadas, and Wraps for a No-Heat Lunch:

Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps with Capers and Tomatoes (shown above, all phases)
Slow Cooker Spicy Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Avocado Salsa (all phases; the spicy chicken is good hot or cold)
Egg Salad in Pita with Green Olives, Green Onions and Dijon (shown at top, phase 2 or 3)
Easy Leftover Turkey Pita Sandwiches with Fresh Cranberry Salsa (phase 2 or 3)
Deviled Ham Spread for Filling Whole Wheat Pita (phase 2 or 3)
Easy Guacamole Tostadas (phase 2 or 3)
Mediterranean Tostada with Hummus, Feta, and Kalamata Olives (phase 2 or 3)
Seven Layer Tostadas (a little more complicated to pack, but delicious; phase 2 or 3)   


 Salads with Grain or Quinoa for a No-Heat Lunch:

Southwestern Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Red Bell Peppers, and Cilantro (Shown above: recommended on Facebook by a reader named Jim, phase 2 or 3)
Lentil and Barley Greek-Style Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Capers (phase 2 or 3)
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with Parsley and Mint (phase 2 or 3)
Farro Salad with Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, and Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette(phase 2 or 3)
Black Bean, Rice, and Cilantro Salad (phase 2 or 3)


Salads with Beans or Lentils for a No-Heat Lunch:

Spicy Pinto Bean and Tuna Salad with Peperoncini, Tomatoes, and Parsley (Shown above; recommended on Facebook by a reader named Willemiek who adds avocado, all phases.)

White Bean Salad with Tuna and Parsley (all phases)
Butter Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Feta, and Basil Vinaigrette (phase 2 or 3)
Marinated Pepper Salad with Garbanzos, Olives, and Feta (phase 2 or 3)
Curried Chickpea Salad - From Joan's on Third, Los Angeles (phase 2 or 3)
Southwestern Bean Salad with Black Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Peppers, and Cilantro(phase 2 or 3)
Garbanzo, Tomato, and Cilantro Salad with Lime and Chile Dressing - with or without avocado (phase 2 or 3)
Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro and Lime (phase 2 or 3) 

Middle Eastern Bean Salad with Parsley and Lemon (phase 2 or 3)
Green Lentil and Red Pepper Salad with Red Onion, Mint, and Feta (phase 2 or 3)
Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Red Bell Pepper, Cumin, and Cilantro  (phase 2 or 3)


Salads with Chicken for a No-Heat Lunch:

Chicken and Avocado Salad with Lime and Cilantro (Shown above; my sister Pam is not a cilantro fan, but she loves this salad.  All phases.)

Chicken, Black Bean, and Red Pepper Salad with Spicy Avocado Dressing (all phases)
Shredded Chicken Salad with Green Olives, Celery, and Green Onion (all phases)
Leftover Chicken Chopped Salad with Red Pepper, Olives, and Feta (all phases)
Leftover Chicken Pesto Salad (all phases)
Chicken Salad with Tarragon and Peas (phase 2 or 3)


Salads with Pasta for a No-Heat Lunch:

Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon, Green Olives, and Cucumbers (Shown above, I love this salad!  Phase 2 or 3.)
Whole Wheat Orzo Salad with Kale, Chickpeas, Lemon, and Feta (phase 2 or 3)
Easy Pesto Pasta Salad with Olives and Red Bell Pepper (phase 2 or 3)
Whole Wheat Orzo Salad with Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Feta, and Herbs (phase 2 or 3)
Shrimp and Macaroni Salad (phase 2 or 3)
Pasta Salad with Italian Sausage, Zucchini, Red Peppers, and Olives (phase 2 or 3)
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Fried Kale, Tomatoes, Olives, and Pesto Vinaigrette(phase 2 or 3)  


Salads with Greens for a No-Heat Lunch:

Raw Baby Kale Salad with Apples, Sunflower Seeds, and Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette(Shown above; phase 2 or 3.)
Baby Arugula Chopped Salad with Chicken, Fresh Mozzarella, and Tomatoes (all phases)
Arugula Chickpea Salad with Feta and Balsamic-Tahini Vinaigrette (all phases)
Baby Kale, White Bean, and Tuna Salad with Lemon (all phases)
Baby Kale Greek Salad (all phases)
Kale and Romaine Caesar Salad (all phases)
Spinach Salad Recipe with Marinated Garbanzo Beans and Feta Cheese (all phases)
Asian Spinach Salad with Chicken, Mushrooms, Pepper, and Almonds (all phases)     


Salads with Lettuce or Cabbage for a No-Heat Lunch

Kalyn's Favorite Antipasto Salad (all phases)
Peperoncini Chopped Salad with Romaine, Red Bell Pepper, and Feta (all phases) 
Fattoush - Lebanese "Crumbled Bread" Salad with Sumac and Pita Chips (phase 2 or 3)
Southwest Chicken Salad (all phases)
Mediterranean Salad with Hummus Dressing, Olives, Capers, and Feta (all phases)
Thai-Style Spicy Cabbage Slaw with Mint and Cilantro (all phases)
Crunchy Napa Cabbage Asian Slaw with Sugar Snap Peas, Radishes, Almonds (and Cilantro?) (all phases)
Red Cabbage and Chicken Asian Salad with Tangy Cilantro Dressing (all phases)
Chicken and Shredded Cabbage Salad with Mustard and Celery Seed (all phases)
  

Salads with Vegetables or Fruit for a No-Heat Lunch:

Jicama and Carrot Slaw with Radishes, Cilantro, and Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette (shown above; phase 2 or 3)
Marinated Zucchini Salad with Olives, Artichokes, Red Pepper, and Red Onion (all phases)
Green Bean, Tomato, and Feta Salad Oreganato (all phases)
Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad (all phases)
Cucumber and Avocado Salad with Lime, Mint, and Feta (all phases)
Barely-Blanched Broccoli Salad with Feta and Fried Almonds (all phases)  
Easy Thai-Flavored Raw Broccoli Salad with Red Onion, Mint, and Peanuts (all phases)
Spicy Shredded Carrot Salad with Mint, Cilantro, Green Onion, Lime, and Jalapeno(all phases)
Green Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad with Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette (phase 2 or 3)
Winter Fruit Salad with Persimmons, Pears, and Grapes (phase 2 or 3)
Whole Wheat Couscous Salad with Persimmon, and Grapes (phase 2 or 3)
Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Green Onions, Basil, Thyme, and Feta (phase 2 or 3)


Snack Foods, Appetizers, and Dips for a No-Heat Lunch 

Shrimp Cocktail with Low Sugar Cocktail Sauce (Shown above; all phases)
Sriracha Deviled Eggs plus Ten More Interesting Ideas for Deviled Eggs (check recipes for phase)
Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Ham (all phases, this is good hot or cold)
Shrimp with Mustard-Horseradish Sauce (all phases)    
Hummus and Cucumber Appetizer Bites with Sesame Seeds (all phases)
Ham and Dill Pickle Appetizer Bites (all phases)
Grandma's Vegetable Dip (all phases)
Heart-Healthy Shrimp dip Served with Veggie Dippers (all phases)
White Bean and Artichoke Dip with Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips (phase 2 or 3)
Diet Friendly Ranch-Style Dip: Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese Dip with Dill (all phases)
Black-Eyed Pea Hummus with Olive Oil and Sumac (hummus is all phases)
Slow Roasted Tomato Hummus (hummus is all phases)
Parsley Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita Chips (phase 2 or 3)   


Did we Miss Your Favorite?
If you have a favorite idea for no-heat brown bag lunches, please let us know about it in the comments!

Nutritional Information?

I chose the South Beach Diet to manage my weight partly so I wouldn't have to count calories, carbs, points, or fat grams, but if you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into Calorie Count, which will calculate it for you.   

Blogger Disclosure:

Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Kalyn's Kitchen earns a few cents on the dollar if readers purchase the items I recommend, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon! 

Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce

Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce

A layered casserole with curried brown rice, broccoli, a creamy curry sauce, and just enough low-fat cheese!

Now that I have officially been given the title of Casserole Queen, it seemed fun to challenge myself with creating more meatless casseroles.  This Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce is an idea that just popped into my head one day, although it's definitely a riff on the Better-than-Mom's Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce that I made nearly two years ago.  Once I had the idea in mind, it actually took Jake and I three tries to get this one just right (although we happily gobbled up the first  two tries as well.) 

If you're looking for a new dinner idea for Meatless Monday, I think most family members will like this one, as long as they like broccoli.  I kept the curry flavor mild with the idea that kids could enjoy this, but if you like spicy curries you can increase the heat, or even use all hot curry powder.  I did use light sour cream, partly light mayo, and low-fat cheese to keep this relatively low in fat, although for South Beach Dieters this should maybe be a "once-in-a-while treat."  (You can find more meatless recipes by using the label Meatless Monday or checking Vegetarian Recipes in the recipe index, and I'm also doing a meatless slow cooker recipe each Monday on Slow Cooker from Scratch.  For more Meatless Monday ideas from other bloggers checkMeatless Monday at BlogHer, where I write a weekly post spotlighting one of the fabulous meatless recipe ideas I find around the web or visit my Meatless Monday Pinterest board.)

We increased the amount of broccoli each time we tested the recipe, and the final version calls for 8 cups of small broccoli flowerets.  (Love this huge glass measuring cup I got from my late stepmother, Norma.)

Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water for exactly two minutes, and then drain it into a colander placed in the sink.

While the broccoli cooks, saute the onion in a little olive oil until it starts to brown; then add the sweet and hot curry powder and cook 2-3 minutes more.

Mix in the cooked brown rice and stir to get the curry flavor distributed and cook long enough to heat the rice.

Whisk together the light sour cream, light mayo, mayo, lemon juice, and sweet curry powder.

In an 8" x 8" casserole dish with high sides, start with a layer of half the rice.

Then put half the blanched broccoli.

Spread over half the curry sauce.

Top with half the cheese.

Then make another layer of each of rice, broccoli, sauce, and cheese.

Bake at 375F/190C for about 30 minutes, or until casserole is slightly bubbling and lightly browned on top.

Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce
(Makes 8 servings; recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from Better-than-Mom's Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce.)

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown rice (I use Uncle Ben's Brown Rice)
8 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small flowerets (about 20 oz. broccoli)
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 tsp. olive
1 tsp. sweet curry powder (any curry powder that's not labeled hot will probably work for this)
1/2 tsp hot curry powder (sometimes called Madras curry powder; you can skip this if cooking for kids or increase for a spicier dish)
1/2 tsp. sea salt salt
1/2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional, but good)
1 1/2 cups grated low-fat mozzarella

Sauce Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup light mayo
(or use all regular or all light mayo)
3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used my frozen lemon juice)
1 1/2 tsp. sweet curry powder

Instructions:

Cook brown rice according to package directions or using a rice cooker to get 4 cups cooked brown rice. 

When rice is nearly done, cut broccoli into small flowerets to get 8 cups broccoli.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add about 1 tsp. salt, and cook the broccoli exactly 2 minutes.  Drain broccoli into a colander placed in the sink.  Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the onion, and saute over medium-high heat until onion is starting to brown, about 5 minutes.   Add the sweet and hot curry powder and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add the cooked rice and stir to coat with the oil and curry powder, then cook a couple of minutes to to heat the rice (if needed.)

Spray an 8" x 8" glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.  (I used my new favorite casserole dish; if you don't have a dish that's this deep, use a slightly larger one.)  Make layers with half the rice mixture, half the broccoli, half the curry sauce, and half the cheese, spreading out to make an even layer with each ingredient.  Make a second layer each of rice mixture, broccoli, curry sauce, and cheese.

Bake the casserole about 30 minutes, or until casserole is starting to bubble and the cheese is lightly browned on top.  Serve hot. I am guessing this freezes well, although I haven't tried freezing it yet.

Printer Friendly Recipe
South Beach Suggestions:

Using brown rice, a generous amount of broccoli, and reduced fat sour cream, mayo, and cheese help make this recipe suitable for Phase 2 or 3 of the South Beach Diet.  However, sour cream is a pretty limited food for South Beach, so if you're actively trying to lose weight for Phase 2, you might consider this to be a "once in a while-treat."

Nutritional Information?

I chose the South Beach Diet to manage my weight partly so I wouldn't have to count calories, carbs, points, or fat grams, but if you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into Calorie Count, which will calculate it for you.

More Meatless Ideas with Brown Rice:
(Recipes from other blogs not always South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Baked Chickpea and Brown Rice Patties from Lisa's Kitchen
Spinach and Feta Casserole with Brown Rice and Parmesan from Kalyn's Kitchen
Vegan Red Curry Tofu and Kale with Brown Rice from The Perfect Pantry
Greek Inspired Leftover Brown Rice Casserole with Red Pepper, Onions, and Fetafrom Kalyn's Kitchen
Scallion Curd Rice from Herbivoracious
(Want even more recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)

Blogger Disclosure:

Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Kalyn's Kitchen earns a few cents on the dollar if readers purchase the items I recommend, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!

Easy Recipe for Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chicken-Garlic Sausage

Easy Recipe for Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chicken-Garlic Sausage

Easy and delicious Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Low-Fat and Gluten-Free Chicken Sausage!

Do you like sweet potatoes?  My nephew and cooking assistant Jake has never really been a fan, but when we made this simple recipe for Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes and Chicken Sausage, he loved it just as much as I did.  This no-fuss recipe was inspired by my love of Sweet Potato Fries, plus a really delicious new low-fat chicken sausage from Costco (with no nitrates!)  Every cook needs some quick and easy dinner ideas for this time of year, and this is pure comfort food without much effort.

Here's the delicious chicken sausage that inspired the recipe.  With only 8 grams of fat per sausage, only 1 gram of sugar, gluten-free, and no nitrates, this is something that will probably inspire a few more recipes at my house.  If you can't find this one, use any low-fat chicken or turkey sausage with garlic.

The recipe uses orange sweet potatoes (often called yams or sweet yams in U.S. grocery stores.)

Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes about 1 1/2 inches across.

Toss sweet potatoes with a little olive oil and some of my favorite seasoning for Sweet Potato Fries.

We roasted sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet for the first 30 minutes so they could have plenty of room for good browning.

I turned the sweet potatoes after 15 minutes, to encourage them to get nice and brown.

While sweet potatoes are cooking, cut each sausage into four pieces.

We wanted the juice from the sausage to flavor the sweet potatoes for the second half of the cooking time, so we transferred them to a baking dish for the second half of the time.  (If you don't want to dirty two pans, just push the sweet potatoes together and put the sausage on top of them.)

Roast the sweet potatoes with the sausages another 25-30 minutes, or until the sausages are nicely browned and sweet potatoes are soft.  Serve hot and enjoy!

Easy Recipe for Spicy Roasted  Sweet Potatoes and Chicken-Garlic Sausage

Ingredients:
2 large or 3 medium red-fleshed sweet potatoes, cut into pieces about 1 1/2 inches across (sometimes called yams or sweet yams in U.S. grocery stores)
1 T + 1 tsp. olive oil
1 T Sweet Potato Fry Seasoning (see below)
4 pre-cooked chicken sausages with garlic, cut into fourths (I used Sabatinos Chicken Sausage with Mozzarella, Artichokes and Garlic)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(store extra seasoning in a glass jar)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt

Instructions: 
Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.  Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray or olive oil.

Peel sweet potatoes with a vegetable peeler and then cut into cubes about 1 1/2 inches across.  Toss sweet potatoes with the olive oil and sweet potato fry seasoning, sprinkling the seasoning over so that all the sweet potatoes are seasoned.  Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast 30 minutes, turning once or twice if you can so all the sweet potatoes are browning evenly.  

While sweet potatoes roast, cut each sausage into four pieces.  After 30 minutes, either push all the sausage together in the middle of the baking sheet or transfer sweet potatoes to a baking dish where they are close together.  Arrange the sausage pieces on top of the sweet potatoes and cook 25-30 minutes more, turning the sausage once if you can so they brown on both sides.  Serve hot.

Printer Friendly Recipe
South Beach Suggestions:

Sweet potatoes are a relatively low-glycemic vegetable compared to potatoes, but they are limited to phase 2 or 3 for the South Beach Diet.  With some kind of green vegetable like Lemony Green Beans, this would make a great dinner for Phase two!

Nutritional Information?

I chose the South Beach Diet to manage my weight partly so I wouldn't have to count calories, carbs, points, or fat grams, but if you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into Calorie Count, which will calculate it for you.

More Fun Ideas with Sweet Potatoes:
(Recipes from other blogs not always South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs from The Kitchn
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos with Lime from Kalyn's Kitchen
Baked Sweet Potato Falafel from 101 Cookbooks 
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Sumac from Kalyn's Kitchen 
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas from Eat, Live, Run.  
(Want even more recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)

Blogger Disclosure:

Posts may include links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com, and Kalyn's Kitchen earns a few cents on the dollar if readers purchase the items I recommend, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!