Monday 2 September 2013

Quickie pasta sauce



It's Monday (groan) - perfect for a quickie recipe. Quickies are so useful for those rushed evenings when you have only a little time to cook, and you've already eaten through the leftovers. And for those lovely summer evenings when you want to be outdoors, not slaving over the stove. 

This recipe uses canned beans and tomatoes. I usually don't use tinned food but they're handy for when you want a quick and healthy meal. This recipe takes about five minutes to get together.

You'll need:
A sliced onion
A cup of sliced mushrooms
1-2 cups of chopped broccoli
Half a cup of sliced capsicum
A 400g can of diced tomatoes
A 400g can of mixed beans
Chilli flakes (to taste)
Dried oregano (one teaspoon or to taste)
Minced garlic (optional - only coz I don't like garlic)
Leftover cooked pasta or rice, or instant rice/vermicelli noodles.

Directions:
Heat a large frying pan on the stove. You can use oil to coat the pan but it's really not necessary. While this is heating, slice the onions and throw them into the pan.

Let the onions cook for a few minutes, until they start to brown, then add in the chilli flakes and garlic (if using). 

During this time you can chop the broccoli, mushrooms, and capsicum (keep stirring the onions so they don't burn). If you're using instant rice/vermicelli noodles, put them in a bowl with boiling water.

Put the broccoli into the pan along with a third of the tinned tomatoes. The tomatoes will help stop the onions and broccoli from sticking to the pan. Cook for one minute, then add the mushrooms, capsicum, oregano, and the rest of the tomatoes, and stir. Cook for one minute and then add the drained beans, and stir. By now the vegetables should have softened and the broccoli should be turning a vibrant green colour. Serve immediately on top of leftover cooked rice or pasta, or onto your drained noodles. 

You could use this as a dip for corn chips, or as a topping for a baked potato. Or, add two teaspoons of ground cumin and use as a filling for taco shells or burrito wraps. 

2 comments:

  1. Multipurpose quickie goodness! I think I would probably end up using a wand blender to homogenize the mixture, taking advantage of the beans as a thickener, then pour over a plate of spaghetti noodles.

    www.thisveganmouth.com

    ReplyDelete