Tuna Spinach Pasta Salad

This was the result of hunger + lack of groceries. But with not much more than the very basics (canned tuna and pasta...) it's possible to make a fairly tasty meal.

You Will Need:

1. Two cups Rigatoni pasta

2. One 5oz can tuna

3. Two tbsp. Parmesan cheese

4. One cup frozen spinach

5. One (or two) tbsp. mayo

6. Two tbsp. mustard

7. Pinch of garlic (or garlic powder)

8. Salt + Pepper to taste

First, boil the Rigatoni for around 10 minutes. In the meantime, cook the frozen spinach. If you use pre-chopped spinach, you can skip the chopping part. I used whole spinach leaves so I had to cut them up myself and cook in frying pan with a pinch of garlic. Let the garlic brown a bit before adding the spinach to pan-fry. When fully cooked, remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, add in the tuna, mayo, spinach, mustard and Parmesan. Gently fold together a bit. When the pasta is done boiling, add pasta to the mix and fold together. Add salt + pepper to taste. You can either serve warm or let cool in the fridge for a half hour to an hour. Either way is yum.

Enjoy!

A + D

Crab Ricotta + Spinach Stuffed Shells

This recipe is my own spinach spin off of something similar I saw on the food network once. It is a baked pasta dish with a mild but yum flavor and stuffed with crab (for those of you into seafood). I used canned crab meat but if you enjoy the finer things in life, you can substitute that with any higher quality sea food you like. To make this vegetarian, just add in extra ricotta or additional cheese instead of crab.

You Will Need:

1. Two cups ricotta cheese

2. Two cups milk

3. Two tbs. butter

4. Two (generous) cups of fresh cut leaf or chopped spinach

5. Twelve oz. (2 cans) of lump or white crab meat

6. One cup shredded cheese blend -- I used a premixed bag of mozerella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, romano + fontina

7. Half a box (6-8 oz) of jumbo shells

8. One-two tsp. flour

9. Garlic powder -- to taste

10. Onion powder -- to taste

11. Salt + pepper -- to taste

First, boil a pot of water for your shells. You want to boil the shells al dente (around 7 minutes) so they're not mushy. You can add a bit of oil + salt so they don't stick + for flavor. While they're boiling, chop up your spinach.

Gently fold the spinach, ricotta and crab meat together in a bowl. Add salt + pepper to taste. When the shells are done, drain them and spread them out onto a lightly greased baking dish. Stuff equal parts ricotta mixture into each shell (will be about a tbs. per shell).

For the cream sauce, first heat the butter on medium heat and add in the flour for a thickener. When the flour cooks, sprinkle in some garlic + onion powder to boost the flavor. Then add in  the milk + cheese. Stir all together until uniform and creamy and remove from the heat.

Pour the cream sauce evenly over the stuffed shells and bake for 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. When done baking, all there's left to do is enjoy :)

- A + D

Yellow Coconut Curried Potato + Spinach (Vegan)

This recipe is vegan and yummy. It is also filling as is -- but if you prefer eating meat, you can easily add chicken or sea food on the side. I used cashew butter to add a nutty flavor. Peanut butter also works and gives an even richer nuttier flavor. You can leave out nut butters, too, in case of allergies.

You Will Need

1. One can coconut milk (around 13 oz)

2. Tbs cashew butter

3. Tsp curry powder (or to taste)

4. Half can of chickpeas

5. One medium/large potato -- cut up into small bites

6. Tsp minced garlic

7. Half cup of chopped spinach -- thawed + drained

8. About a quarter size wedge of medium white onion -- chopped

Drizzle veggie oil onto a hot frying pan on medium heat. Cook garlic until it starts turning golden.

Add in your chopped onions. Stir around for a few minutes until they soften (but don't caramelize them).

Throw in your chopped potatoes, spinach, and chickpeas. You may need to add a bit of oil or a bit of water to help cook the potatoes. Be sure your potatoes are cut up into small pieces so they cook with the rest of the ingredients. Stir around for a few minutes until everything cooks a bit.

Pour in coconut milk and add in the curry powder. Then, add in your cashew butter. This is going to thicken the curry a lot. Once everything is mixed, turn down the heat and let the ingredients simmer for a few minutes until potatoes are fully cooked. If the curry thickens too much, add in a bit of water and let simmer. Serve with rice or naan and enjoy!

- A + D