Recipe: Quick and Easy Vegan Sausage Pasta

In recent weeks, I've been flexing my culinary muscles more because it's a little challenging to find decent vegan grub in my neck of the woods. Sure, I could eat french fries everywhere I go, but...I've been trying to get back on the running wagon lately, and my body needs good fuel for my workouts.

A couple weeks ago I decided to re-make a recipe I'd tried out earlier this year - Simple Vegan Italian Sausage and Pasta Dinner - from one of my favorite bloggers/cookbook authors - The Shannons. If you're not familiar with Dan and Annie, they're a husband and wife who set out on a culinary adventure to veganize Betty Crocker's cookbook. Which was no easy feat because Betty liked her butter, dairy, and eggs. I own their cookbook - Betty Goes Vegan - and I think it offers up some great recipes for people who miss meals they used to have in their pre-vegan days or for people who are trying to cut back on meat a little and aren't sure where to start.

Vegan Sausage Pasta

I mentioned that this was the second time I made this recipe, right? My first attempt was back in the spring. I followed the recipe to the letter and then realized that I like garlic more than most people and that this concoction needed more flavor. I also used Tofurkey sausage the first time. I love me some Tofurkey sausage, but it just wasn't cutting it in this recipe. This time I used Upton's Naturals Italian Seitan. It's crumbly, and flavorful, and really made this pasta dish turn out better, I think. (although I think anything by Upton's Naturals makes just about any recipe better - all of their products are SO good)

Ingredients:

• Pasta shape/type of your choice (I used leftover farfalle that had been hanging around in my cupboard) - adjust the amount of noodles based on the number of servings you need
• Vegan sausage - crumbles or sausages sliced into coins
• 5 quartered Roma tomatoes
• 1 package sliced portabella mushrooms
• 2 cups raw spinach leaves
• 2+ cloves garlic, minced (I used about 6)
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method:

1. Prepare the pasta following the directions on the box. Set aside once cooked
2. In a skillet/saucepan, heat the oil.
3. Brown sausage in oil - be careful to not overcook.
4. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, wine, and spices. Stir frequently until tomatoes and mushrooms begin to soften.
5. Add spinach and basil and cook until leaves start to wilt. 
6. Slowly add pasta to sausage/tomato/mushroom/spinach mixture and stir to coat noodles with sauce. 
7. Serve and enjoy!

All told, this recipe came together in around a half hour. My boyfriend and I each has pretty substantial portions and he was able to eat the leftovers at lunch for most of the week. (I definitely used too many noodles) I really think the slight tweaks I made to the recipe (mainly adding more of each of the spices) really jazzed it up a bit. I'll definitely be making this recipe again!

Recipe: Hot and Spicy Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Have I mentioned lately that I'm Irish and no one in my family makes any food that's spicy?  Despite that, I've been trying to eat spicier foods lately.  Some things I've liked and others I haven't, but what's the fun of cooking if you aren't willing to try new things.

I've been a fan of Sriracha, a Thai hot sauce, for awhile.  It adds a nice kick to stiry frys and sauces.  And since I use so little of it at a time, I'm going to have the huge bottle that it comes in forever.

While surfing around one of my favorite blogs the other day - Meet the Shannons (a site devoted to veganism and veganizing recipes in Betty Crocker cookbooks) - I discovered a recipe for Brussels sprouts in a Sriracha lime sauce.  I could eat Brussels sprouts every day and I'm always looking for a new way to prepare them, so I figured I'd give this recipe a shot.

I find that simplicity is often good when preparing veggies, so when I read about the ingredients required to make these Brussels sprouts, I was a little skeptical. 

 

This definitely isn't 5 ingredient cooking

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Brussels Sprouts (cut in half)
• 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Tamari
• 2 Tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
• 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoons Agave Nectar
• 1 teaspoon Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Lime Zest
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Ginger (minced)
• Dash of Liquid Smoke

Method:
1. Steam the Brussels sprouts and garlic in a large saucepan.  Stir frequently. 
2. When Brussels sprouts are starting to soften, add all of the other ingredients and stir until they are completely coated and fully cooked.  (I had to add a little extra water to keep the sprouts from burning/sticking to the pan) 
3. Serve with a large glass of water.

My thoughts on this recipe?  Holy hotness!  And I think this happened because I didn't follow the directions that Meet the Shannons provided.  They said to cook the Brussels sprouts and then toss them in the sauce. Since I cooked everything together, the Brussels sprouts really absorbed the Sriracha.  My boyfriend liked the amount of heat that these sprouts put off, but I wasn't exactly a fan.  I liked the flavor - lime first then the heat of the Sriracha - but if I were to make them again, I'd definitely cut down on the Sriracha.  And possibly add a little more liquid smoke.  I was afraid that I'd make them too smokey so I literally added a drop or two to the pan.  I also skipped the lime zest, which may have helped to neutralize the Sriracha.

Do you have any favorite recipes that include Brussels sprouts? Or Sriracha?