Vegetarian Meals

My husband is not loving these vegetarian or "light" meat meals, but I am!  This week I cooked a Butternut Squash Quinoa Bake, Pumpkin Curry with Tofu, and a Winter Panzanella Salad. 

 

Butternut Squash is the common theme in all these dishes.  I roasted two squashes  on Sunday and used those bite size pieces in each of these dishes.  Also on Monday, I cooked the Quinoa, cooked the chicken sausage, and sauteed the onions.  I combined the quinoa with the sausage, onions and squash in a casserole dish for Tuesdays dinner.  All I had to do on Tuesday was throw some cheese on that dish and put it in the oven.  I served the Quinoa Bake with a side salad with feta and pomegranates.

Tuesday I made a dish inspired by Mama Pea's Pumpkin Curry with Tofu. I didn't love this dish.  But I also put a whole can of pumpkin in instead of a half can like she reccommends, oops! If you are looking for an amazing Tofu dish, cook this from Cara's Cravings.  I made it last Friday and even my meat-loving husband enjoyed it! But this curry dish did pack some flavor, I just wish it had some spice.

Pumpkin Curry with Tofu
Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 1/2 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. salt
2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spiceCurry:
One 16 oz. package of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 1/2 cups of roasted butternut squash
1/2 red onion diced
1 T. minced ginger
1 t. minced garlic
1 c. broccoli florets
1 c. red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 T. curry powder
One 14 oz. can light coconut milk1/2 c. canned pumpkin
salt and pepper
2 c. cooked brown rice

Instructions:
In a shallow pie plate or dish, combine marinade ingredients. Add pressed tofu and turn to coat. Allow tofu to marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

 Preheat broiler. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium high heat.  Sauté ginger, garlic, onion, broccoli and peppers for 4-7 minutes. 

Remove from pan and place in a large bowl covered with tin foil to keep vegetables warm. Place tofu on a prepared cookie sheet and broil for six minutes on each side. Combine pumpkin and add to curry sauce and bring mixture back to a boil. Then add and then add vegetables, tofu and roasted squash. Stir, heat through and serve over brown rice.

 Last nights dinner was a take on the Panzanella Salad I made on New Years only with whatever veggies I had left in the fridge.  This was an idea I saw on Smitten Kitchen's blog.

 I used Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Brocolli, Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranates, Red Onion, Crumbled Bacon, Parm Cheese, homemade cruotons (made with EVOO spray and salt and pepper) and then a lemon honey mustard vinaigrette.

I put all those ingredients in my favorite Pyrex bowl and shook it up.

And voila, a delicious salad!

PS- I got into work today, mainly by waking up super early and taking the train into the city before all the delays happened.  Check out the scene as I was leaving the gym.

 Yep, and now the suns out.  Gotta love New England.  Just hoping this snow won't ruin my long run outside with Becky!