Veggie Pasta

I made a pasta dish on Saturday night before my epic long ride.  It turned out really well so I thought I'd share it!  I'm a self-taught chef, so any time I try something new I'm never sure how it's going to turn out. 

My take on cooking:  open the pantry and fridge.  See what looks good.  Throw it together.  I don't measure much and even if I cook something a second time, there's usually something different.  So, don't be afraid to use your own veggie combinations, or different pasta, whatever you have on hand. 

I boiled Mushroom Linguine.  I bought this noodle at the farmer's market.  It's locally made and is primarily made from mushrooms.  It was so good!  I can't wait to try other varieties!  Since noodles boil quickly, don't throw the noodles in the pot until you're just about ready to eat.  The water, on the other hand, takes forever to boil!  So put the water on early.

In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, saute chopped onions and bell peppers.  While they are softening, place one package of tofu and one can of tomato sauce in a blender or food processor.  I used firm tofu because it was what I had on hand.  It doesn't break down completely so give a grainy appearance.  I think a softer tofu would blend much prettier.

Once the onions are soft, add a few chopped fresh tomatoes to the pot.  Stir everything together.  Once the tomatoes begin to break down (couple of minutes), add the tofu/ sauce mixture.  Simmer.

Now is when the fun begins.  I sliced a bunch of asparagus into 1 inch pieces and tossed them in.  I chopped a bunch of kale and added that to the pot.  I chopped a few kalamata olives and added them in.  Pretty much any vegetable that you love, can go into the pot.  I also had some veggie Italian sausage on hand so I sliced that thinly and tossed it in too. 

You will need to season with salt and pepper.  Make sure you are tasting as you are seasoning so you can adjust the flavor.  You may also like crushed red pepper flakes, or try some basil, oregano or thyme.  You know what you like.  Use it!  Once the kale and asparagus had steamed a little bit, we were ready to eat.

Over a bed of Mushroom Linguine, I ladled the sauce and then topped with a little mozzarella cheese.  If you want to go totally vegan, leave the cheese off.  On the side we had some garlic-sprinkled crescent rolls. 

I'm very judgemental about my cooking... but this was fantastic!  We wanted a higher protein pasta dish and I didn't have any meat defrosted in the house.  I thought the tofu was an ingenious way to boost the protein of the meal.  I love to cook so if you have recipes to share or ideas on ways to alter this one please let me know!