Lovin' The Pasta with Beans

We have been doing a lot of vegan cooking in the kitchen so far this year, I'm liking it.  It's easy, trying different food combo's is fun, and it doesn't hurt the body to eat a little more healthy.  Now I must confess, I am not eating everything totally vegan, but the majority of  my meals and desserts are, since I have a full-on vegan living here, and he is very strict with his food.  I think his way of eating is a little over the top, but he's young, not old like me.  When you're older got to watch them bones!

 There is a lot of truth to the vegan way, he has lost a tremendous amount of weight, which I could stand to loose.  But, after all these years of eating a certain way, it's hard to give up things you like (real Pecorino-Romano cheese for one! love that stuff).  So I try everyday to cut the bad things out, and use vegan ingredients/substitutes instead, to make the dishes I like.

On the menu for Sunday night's dinner, pasta and beans, good healthy stuff.  Instead of meatballs, I used beans, and although I am not a fan of whole wheat pasta, my son had that, I made my favorite pasta,  linguine (it was protein linguine), and it was fabulous!

Recipe below.

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A few of my ingredients.

 Getting the sauce going in the pan.....

 I love using fresh herbs.....

 Everything is combined and simmering in the pan.

 Towards the end of cooking, add the spinach and the beans, easy!

 And what you have here is a delicious, heart healthy meal, enjoy!
 I HAD to have the cheese....what's pasta without cheese?

 Pasta and Beans

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, more if you like heat

3/4 cup red wine

2 bay leaves

8 basil leaves, sliced chiffonade style

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

15 oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh spinach, stems removed

1 pound linguine or other pasta

Directions

In a large pan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil.  Saute the minced garlic until fragrant, but do not brown it.  Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, red wine, bay leaves, basil and parsley.  Reduce heat to medium, cover and let cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken, if it's too thick add a little bit water.

One half hour before serving, add the spinach and the beans and let cook until spinach is wilted. Start a pot of salted water for the pasta. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce before serving.  Top pasta and sauce with grated cheese, serve with crusty Italian bread. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: If you do not like chunky tomatoes in your sauce, use an immersion blender, after adding them to the pan, to chop them up a little, or put the tomatoes in a blender before adding to the sauce. Using the immersion blender also makes the sauce smoother, creamier and gives it a silky texture.

Better Pork And Beans

Hot Dogs and Pork and Beans were always a meal in our house. I use to love how my mom made them in the oven.  She would put the beans in a baking pan, add brown sugar, ketchup and mustard, then lay the hot dogs on top and bake them in the oven.  They were so good, I still like to eat my hot dog without a bun and dip it in the sauce from the beans.

My new take on Pork and Beans is a keeper.  The sauce is sweet, yet a little spicy from the sausage.  Every time I make these and take them to a party everyone always wants the recipe.  This is how I make them, recipe below.

Some of my ingredients. Chop peppers and onions, and sweat them in a little canola oil.

 Take them out of the pot and put into a bowl, set aside.

 Unwrap the 2 rolls of sausage and break them up in the same pot.  Cook until all the meat is browned breaking it up as it cooks. 

 When the meat is done add the beans, peppers and onions.  Stir to combine.

 Add ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and white sugar.

 Stir to combine, cover and cook for about 1 hour. Hardy beans are ready for the picnic!

Better Pork And Beans

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 whole Vidalia onion, chopped

2 - 1 lb. rolls of pork sausage

2 - 28 oz cans of vegetarian beans
1 - 16 oz. can vegetarian beans

1 cup of ketchup

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

In a large pot, heat oil on medium high heat.  Add onion and peppers, and cook just until tender.  Transfer to a bowl, set aside.  Unwrap the 2 rolls of sausage and add to the same pot, break sausage up as it starts to cook. When sausage is done, reduce heat to medium, add the beans, onions and peppers, stir to combine. Add the ketchup, mustard, brown and white sugars, stir.  Cover the beans and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Makes about 12 servings.

Weiners, Kraut and Beans

Here is a quick dinner for you, hot dogs, sauerkraut and baked beans, all done on top of the stove.  This is such a fast meal to make, don't blink, because it will be done before you know it.  I start with a package of Ball Park Angus Beef Bun Size Hot Dogs and grill them in a dry grill pan on medium heat.  They get really nice grill marks on them so your family will think you did them on the outside grill! (pat yourself on the back).  These dogs took about 20 minutes to make.

All grilled up and cozy in the bun

Now for the sauerkraut. I make a kind of sweet and sour sauerkraut (my own concoction). Start with a can of sauerkraut and pour into a medium size saucepan.  Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.  Stir all together and heat until the sugar is melted, about 20 minutes. I learned to really like sauerkraut after coming up with this recipe.

Beans, Beans the musical fruit!  I love beans and make them a couple of different ways.  This is the recipe my mom always used and it is fast.  While the hot dogs are grilling and the sauerkraut is cooking, empty a can of vegetarian baked beans into a medium size saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 tablespoons of prepared mustard.  Stir and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.