Meatless March: Week 4

The week started out like any other...I did some schoolwork, went to yoga, and made myself a dinner that would provide me with plenty of leftovers.

I hadn't made pasta in awhile, so I decided to play around with something from the macaroni and cheese family.  The problem with classic baked mac and cheese (from the perspective of a person who watches what they eat) is the sauce...while delicious, it's not the healthiest thing around.  I'm always looking for a way to lighten up the recipe and have stumbled upon a foolproof plan: pureed vegetables.

Ingredients
-4 cups cauliflower florets (about 1/2 head cauliflower)
-1 medium onion, sliced
-2 cloves garlic, peeled
-4 cups penne
-2 cups milk
-1 tsp grainy mustard
-2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup grated Gruyere
-1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Put the cauliflower, onion, and garlic in a steamer basket; steam until the cauliflower is tender (about 10-15 minutes).

At this point you can do one of two things.
-if you have a blender, transfer the cauliflower mixture to a blender.  Add milk and blend until smooth, then transfer to a large saucepan.
-if you are using an immersion blender, transfer the cauliflower mixture to a large saucepan.  Add milk and blend until smooth.

3) Cook the penne according to package directions; drain.

4) Add thyme, mustard, salt, and pepper to the cauliflower puree.  Cook over medium-low heat until it is hot but not boiling (about 3-5 minutes).  Add Gruyere and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, stir until melted.

5) Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.  Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Bake for 20-30 minutes (until the cheese begins to brown).

The plate is covered in veggies!

This meal was so delicious that I had it for dinner again on Monday night!

Tuesday night I stuck with the "plate full of veggies" theme and prepared a delightful Thai curry packed with enoki mushrooms, bok choy, and what asparagus I had left.  And, in the interests of doing things just a little bit differently, I decided to serve my curry with udon noodles rather than rice.

Another meal that earned a repeat performance the next night.

I had a tough time deciding what to eat on Thursday night.  On one hand, I wanted to keep up my record of not repeating recipes.  On the other hand, I'd had a busy day and was just not in the mood to get fancy in the kitchen.  I compromised: ravioli (which I keep on hand in the freezer for nights like this) with lemon brown butter and kale pesto (to prove that you can make something delicious on the fly).

Couldn't forget the garlic toast!

Friday I went out for dinner.  God bless Indian food...all of the vegetarian options are delicious!  I'm not going to lie though, there was more than one moment when all I wanted was some of the chicken tikka that my friend was chowing down on.

When the weekend arrived so did a challenge: feeding my parents.  They are carnivorous types, and I know that my father (in particular) wasn't necessarily giggly about the whole "meat free" idea.  Given that, I'm pretty sure they enjoyed what I cooked for them.

I started off with a variation on a meal I had made earlier in the month: eggs poached in marinara.  The changes I made were to make it a little heartier: I added some sauteed spinach to the sauce (which was in my freezer ready to go) and served it with polenta.

My father was sceptical, but after tasting agreed that it was delicious!

Sunday morning we went out to brunch at the resort restaurant where I was confronted with exactly how much I miss bacon.  I stuck to my guns though, and drowned my sorrows in a waffle with raspberries and creme anglaise (with a mimosa on the side).

Sunday evening (the month's last meatless meal!) we dined on a beautiful butternut squash and kale lasagna!

White sauce, gruyere and parmesan cheese, with pecans on top :)

And with that the month was over!  If nothing else, I hope that I've inspired you to give up meat one or two nights a week.  The options are just as delicious, they're easy to prepare, and going veggie is easy on the wallet.  And as always, if you want any of the recipes that I have not posted just let me know and I'm happy to share.

As for me, I'm having bacon with breakfast tomorrow..... :P