The Easiest Veggie Ravioli

My guess is that many of us made a goal to eat better in 2016. Maybe you did, maybe you're doing great! ... maybe not so much. It's never too late friends, persistence is they key to achieving goals!

Sometimes, KC and I are just plain busy... and we need something fast, but something that's not awful for us... well, this recipe, is SUPER EASY, QUICK, and overall decently healthy. Eat a reasonable portion and serve it with a salad.... you're good to go!

*this recipe comes with some very specific veggies, but you can really use whatever you want! Spinach, onion, peppers... whatever sounds good to you!*

Veggie Ravioli

Serves 6-8**

18 oz. of refrigerated cheese or veggie ravioli (we tried a mushroom one last time...NOM!)
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced (you can use canned, drain first! Or use fresh!)
14 oz. canned artichoke hearts (in water), chopped
4 oz. canned sliced black olives (you can buy non-sliced, and slice them FOR SO MUCH CHEAPER!)
29 oz. jarred pasta sauce of choice
1 pkg. shredded mozzarella

1) Cook ravioli according to package directions. Prep. veggies while ravioli is cooking. Drain and return to pan. Add pasta sauce, and prepared veggies. Stir to combine.
2) Spray 9 X 13 baking dish, and put pasta mixture in pan. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 Degrees F. for 15-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. (ours only took 15!)
3) Serve with salad and enjoy!

Substitution Ideas: Like I mentioned above, any veggies would be great in this! If you choose raw veggies, you may want to sautee them to soften them a bit before baking... or let bake for the longer amount of time. You can also substitute other types of pasta/ravioli. You could use cheese, mushroom, squash, meat... etc. Even tortellini would work! Any sauce would be great here too!

**6-8 servings is a lot for some, but is convenient in terms of packaging of the ingredients. We each eat a serving the first night, save individual servings in 2 cup pyrex for lunch the next day, then we freeze whatever's left in individual serving sizes! So easy to pull out of the freezer on a day you need a lunch in a pinch!**

What's your favorite meal that's easy and healthy?!

XO,

Alexandra

Veggie Pot Pie {recipe 32}

One one particularly cold spring day I made this veggie pot pie.

It was easy, delicious and very warm. 

Its perfect for a cold or rainy day!

Veggie Pot Pie

{Borrowed and Enjoyed from: College Vegetarian Cooking by Megan and Jill Carle}

Ingredients:

3 potatoes

2 carrots

1 small onion

8 oz of mushrooms {we didn't think this was necessary}

2 cups water

1 veggie bouillon cube

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry {thawed!, the rest from the upside down chicken pot pie?}

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2) Peel and cut veggies into small pieces.

3) Place water, bouillon and veggies in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the peas to the pan.

4) In a bowl, mix dry ingredients and milk, stirring until smooth. Slowly add the milk mixture to the pan, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

5) Pour the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish and top with the sheet of puff pastry. Press the edges of the pastry down so it sticks to the sides of the pan. Cut 4 slits in the top of the pastry.

6) Bake for 30-35 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Your puff pastry will probably have creases in it where it was folded and frozen, but that's ok it tastes good! :)

All for Now,

Alexandra 

Recipe #19: Upside Down Mini Quiches

Upside Down Mini Quiches

{Borrowed, Enjoyed and Adapted from: Modern Hospitality By: Whitney Miller}

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Biscuit Crust:

1 cup self-rising flour

2 T. COLD butter flavored shortening OR COLD butter

1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup low fat butter milk

1 T. unsalted butter MELTED {for ramekins}

Filling:

8 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half 

3/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

4 tsp. diced yellow onion

4 T. diced bell pepper {any color, or mixed!}

4 {heaping} T. diced fresh cremini mushrooms

4 T. cooked and crumbled andouille sausage or bacon {OPTIONAL! We made ours veggie and they were great! Just add a little more veggies!}

8 T. shredded sharp cheddar cheese or feta

1) Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F. Lightly coat 4 8 oz ramekins with cooking spray OR olive oil and place on baking sheet.

2) Make crust: Put flour in medium bowl. Cut in shortening {or butter if subbing} with 2 forks or a pastry blender. Until the butter crumbles are small and incorporated into the flour. Stir in rosemary and buttermilk until incorporated. 

3) Flour your hands and roll the dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes.

 4) Flour a pastry mat, counter or table. Roll the chilled dough out into 1/4 inch thickness round. Use a 5 inch round object to cut 4 round crusts out of the dough.

5) Make filling: Beat eggs in large bowl with half and half, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. 

6) Layer veggies and optional meat into each ramekin in this order: 1 tsp. of onion, 1 T. of bell pepper, 1 heaping T. of mushrooms, 1 T meat {optional, or replace with more veggies} and 2 T. cheddar cheese. Top with egg mixture.

7) Coat rims of ramekins with melted butter to help crusts stick. Press dough rounds onto buttered tops of ramekins so that they stick. Brush the top of the crust with remaining melted butter.

8) Bake until crust is golden brown, 20-25 minutes {ours took longer, but it could be our oven..}. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

What is your favorite quiche or omelet add in? 

All for now,

 Alexandra

Miller Famous Vegetarian Enchiladas!

Here is the recipe for my "Miller Famous" vegetarian enchiladas! My vegetarian, semi vegetarian and healthy kitchens all loved this recipe! I have even had a few girls from Homestyle kitchens over and they love it too! Consider making it for a meatless meal day Miller girls! :)

Alex's Vegetarian Enchiladas

{Borrowed and adapted from College Vegetarian Cooking} 

Serves 4-6 

1 onion

2 T butter

3 C frozen corn kernals

1 tsp ground cumin

1 C sour cream

1 {4 oz} can chopped green chiles

2 C mixed grated Cheddar and Jack cheeses

2 cups salsa {never enough! I usually buy two jars}

2 cans black beans {rinsed and drained}

12 large tortillas {any type, I like whole wheat best}

{In these photos I added thyme to the recipe because I had some, so feel free to play with it}

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Peel the onion and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the butter in a large skilled over medium high heat and add the onion, corn and black beans. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and stir in the cumin, sour cream, green chiles, and one cup of the cheese.

 3) Spread about 1/3 of the salsa in the bottom of an ungreased 9 by 13 inch pan. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the onion-corn-bean filling into the center of a tortilla, then roll up the tortilla around the filling and place the enchilada in the pan seam side down. 

 4) Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Pour the remaining salsa over the enchiladas and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese (or more!)Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately!

 5) enjoy!

I forgot to get an end result picture.. but they are delicious I promise! :) 

What is your favorite vegetarian Recipe?

Alex