Tuna Apple Pasta Salad

It’s been one of those weeks where I haven’t gone food shopping and have limited ingredients on hand, so a pantry staple meal was a bit of a must. This tuna apple pasta salad is my absolute go-to. It’s the perfect lunch, dinner, or side and has been a favorite of mine for years! It’s made with five simple ingredients, three of which are pantry staples. The flavor combo may sound a bit weird, I know, but, trust me, it’s amazing!

Making this tuna apple pasta salad is always a bit of a comfort for me. I feel like pasta dishes are always a bit comforting, and this one specifically reminds me of my mom. She first made this for me when I was in high school after adapting it herself from some recipe she found. Since then, I’ve been making it for myself (and friends) on repeat with a few tweaks over the years. It’s super simple, and you can make a nice batch to last you for the week (although it will probably be gone in a day or two in my experience).

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 8 oz cooked pasta of choice (I like to use chickpea pasta to make it GF)

• 2 cans tuna, drained

• 4 celery stalks, sliced

• 1-2 granny smith apples (depending on size), cubed

• 1/2 cup avocado oil mayo (or mayo of choice)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix together the cooked pasta, tuna, celery, apple, mayo, and salt and pepper to taste.

2. That’s it! Enjoy!

Whether you’re enjoying this for lunch or making it as a side for a party, it’s sure to be a hit. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Creamy Cashew Brussels Sprout Pasta

There’s nothing better than an easy-to-make meal with simple ingredients that still really brings the flavor! And this creamy cashew brussels sprouts pasta is just that. It’s so creamy and dreamy without the dairy, and it’s so quick and easy to make! The sauce itself is vegan and gluten free, and the entire meal can easily be made both. Not into brussels sprouts, switch them out for your favorite veggie or just enjoy the pasta and sauce on it’s own!

Here’s What You’ll Need:
(Makes 2 servings)

• 2 tbsp cashew butter

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tsp nutritional yeast

• 2 servings of gluten free pasta (or pasta of choice), cooked

• 1 bundle of brussels sprouts, de-stemmed and sliced

• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat up 1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice) in a pan on the stove top over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the brussels sprouts and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the brussels sprouts are softened and charred.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the cashew butter, water, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper until it creates a sauce (add more water as necessary).

3. Add the pasta into the brussels sprouts, and toss everything with the sauce.

4. Serve and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Winter Veggie Baked Ziti from Whole Foods Market

The holiday season is very much upon us, and that has me in the mood for all of the holiday party dishes! Naturally, I headed to my local Whole Foods to pick up some fresh and seasonal products to make a dish that I'll be serving at my holiday dinner this year, a winter veggie baked ziti. They had everything I needed from organic pasta to sauce to seasonal fresh veggies and cheese. Plus you can even order online at the Whole Foods Market E-Store! We all know how hectic the holiday season can be, so WFM is making it as easy as possible.

For this dish, I decided to go with some of my favorite seasonal veggies - brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and mushrooms. They all remind me of this time of year and would make for the perfect healthier baked ziti dish. Mix in some pasta, sauce, and cheese, and you have yourself a a veggie-packed meal that even the kids will love! It really is the perfect easy-to-make main course for any holiday gathering.

Here's What You'll Need:

-1/2 head cauliflower cut into florets
-1 bundle brussels sprouts (~20-25), halved
-8 oz baby bella mushrooms (~10-15)
-2 cups kale, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 lb box ziti
-25 oz jar marinara sauce
-1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
-1 cup ricotta
-1 egg
-2 tbsp and 1 tsp avocado oil, separated
-3/4 tsp dried oregano, separated
-3/4 tsp dried basil, separated
-Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Toss the brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and mushrooms with 2 tbsp avocado oil, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp basil, sea salt, and pepper, spread the veggies on a baking sheet, and roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for 25 minutes. Once done, decrease the temperature to 375. 
2) While the veggies are roasting, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
3) In a large pan on the stove top, heat up 1 tsp avocado oil over medium high heat. Add in the 3 cloves of minced garlic and 2 cups of kale. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
4) Reserve 1 cup of marinara sauce from the 25 oz jar.
5) In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the cooked pasta, roasted veggies, sauteed garlic and kale, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 cup ricotta, marinara sauce (minus the 1 cup), egg, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.
6) Pour the mixture into a large, greased baking dish. 
7) Top the mixture with the reserved cup of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. 
8) Bake the dish in the preheated 375 degree oven fro 30-40 minutes until fully cooked through. 
9) Serve, and enjoy!
 

I hope you enjoy this veggie-packed, healthier version of the classic! It's sure to be a crowd pleaser this holiday season. Let me know what you think in the comments below, and don't forget to check out your local Whole Foods Market or the Whole Foods Market E-store for all of your holiday food shopping needs!

Vegan Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

I've recently become obsessed with making my own nut milks, specifically cashew milk, ever since coming across Ellie's Best nut milk bags. For some reason I was under the impression that it would be difficult, but it's SO quick and easy. I just soaked a cup of cashews in water for 2+ hours, strained and rinsed them, and tossed them in the blender with 3 cups filtered water and a pinch of sea salt on high for a minute or two. Filtered it through my nut milk bag, and BAM delicious, creamy, unsweetened cashew milk. You can use the code Stacy10 for 10% off your own Ellie's Best nut milk bag by the way!

So basically I've been going through cashew milk like crazy these days. It's so tasty, and the consistency is nice and creamy. So I thought it would be the perfect ingredient for some creamy, vegan mac and cheese. You guys know I'm veggie crazy, so I decided to add in cauliflower because it would just soak up the taste of the delicious sauce. And I decided to keep it gluten free and protein packed with some Ancient Harvest POW! Green Lentil Penne.

Here's What You'll Need:

-7 oz Ancient Harvest POW! Green Lentil Penne
-1/2 head cauliflower, cut into pieces
-1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk
-1/4 cup nutritional yeast
-2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1 tsp lemon juice
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 tsp sea salt + extra
-1/4 tsp black pepper + extra
-1/8 tsp turmeric
-1/8 tsp chili powder (optional)
-2 tbsp avocado oil

Serves 2

Instructions:

1) Toss your cauliflower in the avocado oil with some sea salt and black pepper, and roast it in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until it starts to brown and soften.
2) In the meantime, cook your pasta according to the directions.
3) Strain your pasta, and use the warm, empty pot to mix together the cashew milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, turmeric and chili powder.
4) Once cooked, remove your cauliflower and cut into smaller pieces.
5) Mix the cauliflower and cooked pasta into the sauce, serve, and enjoy!

Not into cauliflower? Feel free to swap it out with the veggie of your choosing! I also topped mine with a bit of red pepper flakes for some extra heat. Let me know how you play around and what you think in the comments below!

One Pan Zucchini "Pasta" Bake with Ragu Homestyle

Even though I'm not Italian, pasta was a MAJOR staple in my household growing up. And my mom always used Ragu when making anything Italian. I'm pretty sure all of my favorite meals as a child included Ragu - baked ziti, spaghetti and meatballs, you name it! So when I heard that they were coming out with a new Homestyle line, I was super excited. I headed to the store, and picked up the Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic sauce, just one of many of their delicious sauce flavors. 

I didn't even know what I wanted to make at first, but I knew that I had to try this sauce. Plus I'm obsessed with garlic, so it was really a no brainer. I got to thinking and figured since I was having a little twist on the sauce I knew growing up, I'd use it with a twist on the traditional pasta meal. I decided to go with zucchini and summer squash pasta instead 1) to keep it a little healthier and 2) because it's summer! No better way to get the best of both worlds than with some summer veggies and a delicious, hearty pasta dish.

Here's what you'll need:

-1 zucchini, spiralized using the ribbon blade
-1 summer squash, spiralized using the ribbon blade
-1 cup Ragu Homestyle Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic tomato sauce
-5.3 oz cottage cheese
-1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
-1/2 tsp oregano
-1/2 tsp basil
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1 tbsp EVOO
-Sea salt and pepper to taste

Serves 2

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 
2) In a cast iron skillet, heat up the olive oil on the stove top over medium high heat.
3) Once the oil is glistening, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4) Add in the zucchini and summer squash ribbons, and cook for about 3-5 minutes mixing regularly.
5) In the meantime, mix together the cottage cheese, oregano, basil, sea salt, pepper, and Ragu Homestyle sauce in a bowl.
6) Mix the sauce mixture into the pan, and top everything evenly with the parmesan cheese.
7) Move the skillet into the preheated oven, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
8) Remove the skillet from the oven, and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
9) Serve, and enjoy!

It honestly tastes JUST like pasta, but better! Plus it's super easy and fast to make and has minimal, delicious ingredients. It gave me all the feels of growing up but with a kick! That hearty, garlic flavor is just so perfect! I can't wait to give the other flavors a try. For other tasty recipes from Ragu themselves click here.