Category Archives: Vegetarian

Hello Friends! Haven’t had much time for posting but let me get us back to speed. For the last 6 months, I have been adapting my cooking for a more low-calorie, low cholesterol, good portions style of cooking. Why? I need to lose weight. Plain and simple. And I don’t want to sacrifice food to do so either. The key is portion control, knowing the calories/nutrition of what I am eating and MOVING! (exercise!!). I am not looking for fast weight loss either. I want it to be permanent. Therefore a change in my lifestyle was needed.  So, in the last six months, I put my knowledge to good use and through the support of my husband (#1 supporter!) and my dog (#1 motivational cheerleader for long walks) I put my plan to action. 1) Calories in should not exceed calories out, 2) I can have junk food but refer to rule 1 and I need to be healthy about what I eat, 3) No starvation mode, 4) EXERCISE. Well, it has been six month and I have lost a healthy and gradual 20 lbs and gained a lot of good muscles and stamina. Yea! (if you want more details, saminacooks@gmail.com)

Anyway, enough about me and more about food! Tonight I made a delicious meal adapted from Budget Bytes. I highly recommend this meal because not only was it delicious, but it was one pot, one chopping board, one mandolin (I like using mandolins..it wasn’t necessary)! It was healthy, vegetarian (I try to do at least 1-2 days vegetarian per week) and filling. Definitely a new favorite and at 330 calories, it was right up my food calorie budget. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients:

10 oz Sliced Mushrooms
14 oz artichoke hearts, diced into bit sized pieces (not marinaded!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoon olive oil
16 oz Fettuccine (I did not use whole wheat..may alter cooking times and water content)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
pepper (used my pepper mill about 15 cranks)
5 oz frozen chopped spinach (Half a 10 oz packet)

Directions:

1.  Brush tops of all mushrooms with damp cloth to remove dirt. Slice thinly with mandolin.
2. Drain artichoke hearts from can, chop into tiny bite sized pieces
3. Remove skin from onions, slice onion in half (from core), remove core, slice thinly via mandolin.
4. Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms with olive oil, until most of the moisture has evaporated.
5. Add thyme, pepper and oregano, saute for an additional minute
6. Add vegetable broth, artichoke hearts and water to pot.
7. Break fettuccine in half, add to pot.
8. Place lid on pot, bring to a boil on high heat.
9. When pot reaches a boil, stir pot to evenly distribute ingredients (and to prevent pasta from sticking).
10. Turn heat down so that the pot is still simmering.
11. Put lid on and let pot simmer for 10-15 minutes (until pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed).
12. Stir occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking.
13. Add frozen spinach and allow it to thaw from the heat of the pasta.
14. Taste for salt.

Serve topped with Parmesan Cheese.

You can also change this to non-vegetarian by adding leftover chicken and using chicken broth. My husband and I loved the dish as is. Great recipe Budget Bytes!!