Tag: tomato sauce

Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian

Bringing in September with a Pumpkin “Meat” Sauce

Annie

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It’s September, so that means it has to be pumpkin season, right? This was an impromptu dinner from last fall that I posted to my Instagram. After many requests for a formal recipe, I’m happy to say I’ve finally written one. (Albeit a year later since I forgot all about this one, oops.) I give you –drumroll please — Gnocchi in a Tomato Pumpkin “Meat” Sauce. I like starting with random ingredients and seeing how they come together by the end, and that’s exactly how this meal started. Pumpkin purée thickens the tomato-based sauce, while zucchini melts and melds into the sauce. Italian flavors honor the “meatless” version of this dish, using a vegan-based “meat,” pairing perfecting with gnocchi. No pumpkin spice flavors here!

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Italian, One Pot Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

A Creamy, Tomatoey, Pumpkiny Sauce

Annie

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Need a break from marinara sauces, pumpkin sauce or creamy, Alfredo-like sauces? Look no further. This Creamy Tomato Pumpkin Sauce is the perfect blend of garlic, tomatoes and “cream.” When I was little, it would be the dead of summer, and my mom would harvest tomatoes from our tiny garden. She’d chop up tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic, sauté the three into an easy sauce, and sever over pasta; I think this is where I got my inspiration. With leftover pumpkin and yellow squash, a simple sauce emerged fresh heirloom tomatoes (those colors!), carrots and a little garlic. A splash of almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer) adds a new dimension to the sauce to perfectly prepare it for pasta.

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Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Italian, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

Quick & Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce

Annie

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Happy meal prep Sunday! Here’s a marinara sauce I made for a veggie lasagna (recipe coming soon!). I decided to make my own because it’s quick, delicious and budget-friendly. I never realized most tomato sauces have sugar as one of the first few ingredients, since sugar brings out the flavor in tomatoes; sometimes those sauces are just too sweet then. It’s hard to find a sauce without any added sugar (Whole Foods’ 365 brand does have a great one). This Basil Marinara Sauce is so easy and literally ready in 20 minutes — plus you get the satisfaction of it being homemade and making it from scratch. With only 5 ingredients, there’s no added sugar or salt, while still bursting with flavor.

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Better Than Takeout, Entrée, Italian, Lightened Up

Happy FriYAY with Low-Carb Pizzas

Annie

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It’s Friday, so I’m celebrating with a little quick and healthy ‘za. I feel like the weekend rolls around and we all think we’ve “earned” a little indulgence for the weekend. This Tortilla Pizza with Basil & Sausage is just the way to indulge without feeling gross. It requires ingredients you probably already have on hand like whole wheat tortillas, chicken sausage (I always store some in my freezer), tomato sauce and parmesan cheese — it’s that easy. You can obviously swap out the meat for veggies, but don’t make the pizzas too heavy. For a serving size of two tortilla pizzas, it’s just the right amount of pizza without feeling overly stuffed.

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Better Than Takeout, Entrée, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, One Pot Dish, Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Italian Dinnah

Annie

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This smells heavenly. I mean my kitchen smelled like an Italian restaurant while these bad boys cooked. Who knew this was so easy? I have a confession to make. This was my first time using my slow cooker. I love that it was a dump in the ingredients kind of recipe with minor prep (for the meatballs), and then I walked away to study for finals about a month ago. I was left with a hearty, yet light dinner (thanks, zoodles). I also don’t think I can buy sauce again. I’ve since doubled the recipe for this, tossed it in the slow cooker, kept some handy in my fridge and froze the rest. On this cold, rainy/snowy/sleety day in Boston, hope this Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs over Zoodles adds a little color (and warmth!) to your day!

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, One Pot Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Easiest Weeknight “Pasta”

Annie

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Happy meatless Monday! I’ve been a little absent with school this past semester. Since we have one less class and one less clinical day, I hope to get more things written up and posted that I’ve already added to Instagram. To kick things off, here’s Vegetarian Sweet Potato “Spaghetti” using sweet potato noodles as the base. What an easy meal to whip together — sauté some veggies, open a can of beans, toss in the noodles and top with sauce. Now that I have a heartier spiralizer (thanks to the Inspiralizer from William Sonoma), I can’t wait to try making these at home!

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Italian, One Pot Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Veggie Vision “Pasta”

Annie

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Spaghetti squash is my go-to cold weather meal. With the cool days moving in and socks and sweaters becoming abundant, a fall twist on your favorite and classic pasta dish is in order. To celebrate a “Meatless Monday,” I’ve added cannellini beans for protein, and butternut squash to utilize another fall favorite. Throw in your other favorite veggies, top with the marinara sauce of your choice and you have a light but hearty and savory meal! Thank you, rosemary, for this Fall Vegetable “Spaghetti.”

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Entrée, Gluten-Free, Italian, Lightened Up, Meal Prep

The “Give-Me-More” Zucchini Boats

Annie

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These were absolutely delicious. I made these zucchini boats one summer at Holy Cross with my friend, Marjorie, and they had to be ressurected. In honor of summer and not knowing what to do with all those zucchini after the beginning of zucchini season, zucchini boats are a great and innovative recipe. They’re savory, fresh and a not-so-heavy of meal — a perfect summer dish even for those hot days. So serve them as an app, as a side or as a meal and have one (maybe two!) zucchini boats. No matter how they’re served, you’ll definitely want more!

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