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Category Archives: Pasta


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Easy Spicy Turkey Chili Mac

Easy Spicy Turkey Chili Mac | doughseedough.net

Chili is one of my favorite winter comfort foods. We just got out of a mega deep-freeze up here in Wisconsin (“feels like -35°F” is something I would be OK with never seeing and feeling again) and this spicy turkey chili mac hit the spot. I made this on one of the nights that Mike and I were apart, so having to wash only one pot was a huge bonus. Doing dishes is the least exciting part of cooking.

Easy Spicy Turkey Chili Mac | doughseedough.net

Easy Spicy Turkey Chili Mac

1 1/4 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes*
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup dried whole wheat elbow macaroni or pasta of choice
1 – 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
optional toppings: shredded cheese, fat free Greek yogurt or sour cream, jalapenos

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey, onion and garlic until meat is browned and cooked through and onion is tender.
  2. Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta, jalapenos, chili powder, and cumin. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer. Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, or until macaroni is soft, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Top with optional toppings before serving.

*I used a pint of quartered tomatoes I canned over the summer.


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SNAP Challenge 2014 Day 7 (+ a pasta recipe)

SNAP Challenge Day 7 | doughseedough.net

It’s done. Mike and I have finished the SNAP Challenge. We both agreed that this year was harder than last. We couldn’t figure out why at first – we had plenty of food (leftovers, even), but everything just seemed more difficult. We think it was partially due to the fact that we had to complete most of the SNAP Challenge apart. I also didn’t plan for enough snack foods throughout the week.

There are definitely things I’m looking forward to now that the Challenge is over – farmers’ market produce, sparkling water, breakfast sandwiches, ice cream… I actually even miss rice. Mike told me he’s craving chocolate and plans to eat chocolate everything for a day. I can’t control what he eats from 2 hours away, so we’ll see what happens 🙂

Doing this Challenge will never equate to what those who live on SNAP experience day-to-day, but this Challenge is always a great reminder of how much I have to be thankful for in life, and why I am never ever “too busy” to take time to volunteer. It reminds me to not judge people and the food choices they make. As a dietitian, my heart crumbles a little every time patrons at the food pantry choose 6 Slim Jim sticks over 4 cans of tuna. As a human, I now understand why they would make that choice.

Today we ate:

Breakfast: oatmeal with egg (me), oatmeal with agave (Mike)
Snack: apples
Lunch: pasta with zucchini and tomatoes in lemon-yogurt sauce
Snack: celery and carrots with Greek yogurt dip
Dinner: pasta with zucchini and tomatoes in lemon-yogurt sauce (me); chicken taco soup, corn on the cob (Mike)
Snack: peanut butter toast with banana (Mike)
Drinks: peppermint tea, water with lemon

Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes in Lemon-Yogurt Sauce | doughseedough.net

Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes in a Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

13.25 ounce package whole wheat spaghetti
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
olive oil spray
4 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted. Stir in tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
  4. Transfer zucchini mixture into large bowl of yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Add the drained pasta and gently toss until well combined. Add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to thin the sauce. Serve immediately.

recipe slightly adapted from Ezra Pound Cake


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SNAP Challenge 2014: Day 4 ( + vegetarian lasagna rolls)

SNAP Challenge Day 4 | doughseedough.net

We’re over halfway through the Challenge, folks. Honestly? Today was the best I’ve felt so far. Maybe it was because I got to see Mike. Maybe it’s because I realized that we probably have enough food for the week. Either way, I’m going to go to bed happy and a little less worried tonight.

Today I ate:
Breakfast: oatmeal with egg
Lunch: vegetarian lasagna rolls
Snack: tortilla chips
Dinner: chicken taco soup
Snack: peanut butter toast, raisins

Today Mike ate:
Breakfast: oatmeal with raisins
Lunch: vegetarian lasagna rolls
Snack: peanut butter toast
Dinner: chicken taco soup
Snack: peanut butter toast

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is for spinach tofu lasagna rolls. Yes, tofu. Keep reading. Mike had the lasagna rolls during Day 3 of the Challenge. I asked him what he thought of the tofu and he just stared blankly at me… “what tofu?”

Apparently he thought it was just (really bad) ricotta! Well, surprise – there is no ricotta in this, either! I subbed in low fat cottage cheese (easier on the wallet and on the waistline) and mixed in plenty of good-for-you spinach.

{vegetarian} Spinach Tofu Lasagna Rolls | doughseedough.net

Spinach Tofu Lasagna Rolls

1 pound package lasagna noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
19 ounces firm tofu, crumbled
3 cups chopped spinach
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce, divided

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, and set aside on a large baking sheet to dry out slightly.
  3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds. Add tofu and spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach wilts, about 2 – 3  minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in cottage cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
  4. Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. To make the lasagna rolls, place about 1/4 cup mixture on a noodle and spread across the entire noodle. Roll up and place the roll, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling.
  5. Spoon remaining sauce over top of the lasagna rolls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.


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SNAP Challenge 2014: Day 2 (+ a recipe!)

SNAP Challenge Day 2 | doughseedough.net

 

Day two is done. For me, it was just as weird as the first day. I wasn’t feeling 100% like myself due to the obnoxious cold I get hit with. Here’s what I ended up eating:

 

Breakfast: oatmeal with raisins
Lunch: peanut noodles with shredded chicken and veggies
Snack: cottage cheese
Dinner: peanut noodles with shredded chicken and veggies
Snack: apple
To drink: crazy amounts of peppermint tea sweetened with a bit of agave, water with lemon

 

So let’s move on to what I’ve been eating the past few days: peanut butter noodles with chicken and veggies!

 

This dish was crazy easy and it’s super customizable. I used bell pepper and carrots as my veg in this dish, but just about anything you have on hand will work. Feel free add more soy sauce, if desired. I only used 2 teaspoons because I ran out and didn’t budget for it in my SNAP Challenge budget. The most time-consuming part was cutting all the dang carrots up. I didn’t have my mandoline or grater  with me, but I highly suggest you use one to make prep a little easier. Alternately, just chop the carrots up. A little less pretty, but just as tasty.

 

Another bonus? The noodles taste stellar hot or cold. I opted to eat mine mostly hot since it made my throat feel better, but you just follow your heart (stomach? taste buds?) and do as you wish!

 

Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Veggies | doughseedough.net

Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables

1 – 13.25 ounce package of whole grain spaghetti
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
3 carrots, julienned
2/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sriracha, more or less to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  1. Place chicken in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until no longer pink in the middle and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 12 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred with two forks.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 2/3 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
  3. While pasta is cooking, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, and ginger. Whisk in 2/3 cup of hot pasta water to thin sauce. Taste, and add more soy sauce and sriracha if desired.
  4. Toss pasta, bell peppers, and carrots with peanut sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

 


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Cheeseburger Chili Mac

This dish is obviously cheesy and not at all dairy-free. The crazy thing is, it actually tastes really, really good without the cheese. I guess the version I had would be more appropriately titled “Chili Burger Mac” or something. It makes me incredibly happy when I can find a dish that tastes good with and without cheese. Mike had it both ways and insisted that the cheesy version wasn’t better than the non-cheesy version. I think he’s full of it, but it does make me feel a bit better 🙂

This recipe makes a scary amount of chili mac. But don’t fret – it freezes beautifully! I made it so Mike would have enough food to feed him for a few days while we were apart. If you’re ever short on time, give this meal a try. It’s super simple and comes together in just minutes. As an added bonus, you probably have most of these ingredients lurking around in your pantry and fridge already!

Cheeseburger Chili Mac {dairy-free adaptable} | doughseedough.net

Cheeseburger Chili Mac // Chili Burger Mac
serves 8 – 10

olive oil spray
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 large onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 cups beef stock
2 pounds whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, optional

  1. Coat a large pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the meat thoroughly and return to pan.
  2. Add in onions, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup, mustard, and beef stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
  4. Serve macaroni with a scoop of the chili and top with shredded cheddar, if desired.
  5. Alternatively, mix the chili and macaroni together and pour into an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese is browned and melted.

 

adapted from Rachael Ray


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Cheesy Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

Today’s recipe is a dish that I can only dream of eating… Making cheesy freezer meals for Mike is kind of torturous. Mike swears these shells taste awesome. I can assure you that they smell awesome, but I couldn’t try them.

Cheesy Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells | doughseedough.net

Cheesy Spinach & Chicken Stuffed Shells

1 – 12 ounce box jumbo shells
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast., diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-10 ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dried
8 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to over cook. When pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, remove chicken to a separate plate.
  3. Add more oil to pan, if necessary, and add in onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Stir in spinach, cream cheese and almond milk until cream cheese is melted and mixture is creamy. Stir in cooked chicken. Sprinkle in half the Parmesan cheese and stir until evenly distributed.
  4. Spray two 9×13 baking dishes with olive oil. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce into the bottom of each pan. Spoon filling into cooked shells and arrange in baking dishes. When all shells are filled, drizzle remaining sauce onto the top of the shells and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  5. To serve immediately, preheat oven to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes. Filling should be hot and bubbly and Parmesan cheese should be melted and lightly browned.
  6. If freezing, prepare as directed using freezer and oven-safe containers. Defrost dish in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 35-40 minutes or until filling is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.


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Lightened Up Lasagna Soup

Soup is great for cold, snowy days. Soup is also good for men who have had their wisdom teeth out. Mike lived off of chocolate ice cream, chocolate pudding, and chocolate protein shakes for a day. Chocolate is good and all, but I’m pretty sure there is a limit to how much chocolate a person can consume. I decided to make some lasagna soup for Mike to try. I knew I could cook the veggies and noodles long enough to make them extra soft and manageable for my wisdom tooth-less husband. For me? I kept my noodles al dente. But I’m not dealing with major jaw pain and all.

LIghtened Up Lasagna Soup {dairy free} | doughseedough.net

Since this soup doesn’t have cheese it’s really not much like lasagna at all. But hey, it was tasty and I didn’t really miss the cheese. But the lack of cheese and the use of a lower-fat turkey sausage versus a pork sausage means fewer fat and calories. Tasty, healthy, and a perfect comfort food.

Lightened Up Lasagna Soup
serves 8

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1.25 pounds Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
15 ounce can tomato sauce
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, diced

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add turkey break it into bite-sized pieces. Cook until browned and cooked through, 4 – 6 minutes. Drain excess fat from pan.
  2. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add in broken lasagna noodles and bell pepper and cook until pasta is al dente.
  3. Remove bay leaves before serving.

slightly adapted from the Deen Bros


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Curried Chicken with Zucchini and Eggplant

I’ve been a little scattered lately. I wrote up a menu plan for the week, made a grocery list, and set off to the store with Mike. We finish shopping and go back home only to find out that I had been shopping off a partially completed grocery list. This meant that I didn’t have enough ingredients to make any of the meals that I had planned on. Oops. Thankfully, I had some garden zucchini and a cute little eggplant from a coworker to work with. I whipped this up with what we did have on hand and it ended up being not only edible, but pretty darn good!

Curried Chicken with Zucchini and Eggplant over Couscous | doughseedough.net

(P.S. It’s really, really good with a health drizzle off sriracha 😉 )

Curried Chicken with Zucchini and Eggplant with Pearl Couscous
serves 4

for the couscous:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/3 cup pearl couscous
1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth, hot

for the chicken:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add couscous and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Set aside and keep warm.
  2. While couscous is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl and keep warm. Add eggplant to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in zucchini and onion to the pan and saute for an additiona 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, curry powder, garam masala, and red pepper flakes. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add chicken and cherry tomatoes to pan and cook until chicken is cooked all the way through and tomatoes burst, about 5 minutes.
  3. Serve hot over prepared couscous.


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Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

I’m going spaghetti squash nuts over here. I can’t get enough of the stuff! My newest dish – spaghetti carbonara! This recipe is so far from the “original” carbonara that I’m not quite sure what to call it. Spaghetti (Squash) Not-Carbonara? It’s kind of a mouthful. I was determined to find a way to get all that rich awesomeness that a traditional carbonara has into a dish that has no butter, no cheese, and no pasta. So, basically not carbonara at all. But this dish definitely captures the richness of carbonara and it has some of the same components. I figured since I was so far off from the traditional pasta dish that I might as well go all out – no pasta, no butter, no cheese… might as well add in some sun dried tomatoes and spinach while we’re at it. Why the heck not?

Go on and make this now, ok? It’s delish, trust me.

dairy free spaghetti squash carbonara | doughseedough.net

Dairy Free Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
serves 4 – 6

for the squash:
1 large spaghetti squash
salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil spray

for the sauce:
6 strips bacon
2 small onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large zucchini, diced
5 sun dried tomatoes, diced
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened almond milk
salt (I used about ¼ teaspoon)
freshly ground black pepper (I used about ½ teaspoon)

  1. Prepare the squash: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash cut-side down in a baking pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 – 60 minutes, or until squash is easily pierced with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, about 5 – 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and drain off all but 1 teaspoon of bacon grease from the pan.
  3. Add garlic, onions, zucchini and sun dried tomatoes to pan and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and almond milk. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour egg yolk into vegetables, stirring frequently to prevent eggs from scrambling. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Shred the flesh of the squash to create “spaghetti”. Place on spaghetti squash noodles on a plate and top with sauce.

adapted from Food Network


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Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta

This meal is so easy it’s ridiculous. Like 15 minutes from start to finish.  Avocado, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whirl in food processor. Toss with pasta… Dinner is served.

It’s good served warm. It’s good cold the next day. It’s so good that Mike is still talking about it, a week later. Who knew it would be so easy to impress that man?

15 minute creamy avocado pasta {dairy free} | doughseedough.net

I ate mine on top of a huge bed of spinach. Mike had his with extra bacon on top 😉 Vegan or vegetarian? Skip the bacon and you’re good to go!

Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta
serves 6

1 13.25 ounce package whole wheat spaghetti
olive oil spray
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
4 cups spinach
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
3 lemons, juiced
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped, optional

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. While pasta is cooking, make the sauce: heat a medium pan over medium heat and lightly spray with olive oil. Add in garlic and jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in spinach and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Place spinach into the bowl of a food processor. Add in avocados and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Mix the avocado sauce with cooked spaghetti and toss to coat.  Add pasta water as needed to thin sauce to desired consistency. Top with bacon if desired.

adapted from Oh She Glows