Italian Dinner-Vegan

Ingredients

4 oz Vegetarian (egg-free) Ground Meatless Crumbles, or 4 oz. Baked Tofu

½ cup canned crushed Tomatoes

½ cup Tomato or Spaghetti Sauce, sugar-free

2 cup raw diced Onion, Bell Pepper, and sliced Mushroom (cooks down to 1 ½ cup)

1 clove Garlic, minced

Spices: ¼ teaspoon each Parsley, Oregano, Basil,

Ground Red Pepper, to taste

nonstick spray or 1 teaspoon Olive Oil (Garlic flavored Oil works well)

Directions

Sauté Onion, Bell Pepper, Mushroom, and Garlic with Cooking Spray or Oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Cook until Onions are clear and Veggies are almost tender. Reduce heat and add Spices, Crushed Tomatoes, and Spaghetti Sauce.  Add Vegetarian Protein. Continue cooking until Sauce is thoroughly heated and Veggies are tender.

Abstinent Measuring

Meal counts as 1 Protein, 2 Veggies, ½ cup Condiment, and 1 Fat if using Oil

Serving Suggestions

Grain option - add ½ cup cooked Whole Grain Pasta when adding Sauce.

Maintenance option - add 6 Diced Green and/or Black Olives to Sauce, which adds 1 additional Fat.

Make-it-A-Meal

Great with 1 cup Salad or 1 cup Steamed Broccoli to complete the dinner allowance.

*contribution from Area II Cookbook 2004

Spaghetti Squash Italiano

Ingredients

1 med Spaghetti Squash (3 cup yield for this recipe)

3 teaspoon Butter

1 ½ cup Spaghetti Sauce

12 oz Italian Meatballs and/or Sausage

Salt and Ppepper (amount to your preference)

Directions

With a sharp knife, cut slits all the way around the squash. (Approximately 15 half-inch slits.)  Place squash in a bowl with ¼ c of water in the bottom and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in the microwave for 18 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the squash.  Squash should be soft enough give to the touch when done.  Cut the cores from both ends of the squash and cut in half.  Lift seeds out of the middle of each half and discard them.  Into a bowl, scrape the squash out of its shell right to the peeling.  Measure 3 c, placing extra aside for later use.  Place 3 tsp of butter on squash and toss.   Salt and pepper (amount to your preference.)

Prepare meatballs and/or sausage in spaghetti sauce. Serve over spaghetti squash.

Serves 3

Abstinent Measuring

Each serving contains 1 protein, 1 vegetable and 1 optional ½ c sauce.

*contribution from Area II Cookbook 2004