Quinoa Pasta with veggies

Ingredients:


6 slices bacon chopped
6 oz quinoa pasta*
6 oz sliced mushrooms
1 small onion sliced
1 bell pepper sliced
1 cup zucchini chopped
2 cups spinach
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups water
1/3 cup fresh parsley and cilantro chopped
1 TB dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh
olive oil (if needed)
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese


Cook bacon in a big skillet until cooked through but not too browned. Add onions, mushrooms, peppers, and zucchini and cook until they are tender, stirring occasionally.
Then add quinoa pasta, marinara sauce, water, dried basil, salt and pepper, cover the skillet and cook until pasta is done.
Add spinach and fresh herbs, stir well and serve with parmesan cheese.


*Araksya's tip: You can use regular pasta instead of quinoa pasta. You can also add 1/2 cup regular quinoa with pasta
like I did to give it more texture.

Easy and simple fried veggies

Bok-choy with veggies



4 cups of chopped pak choi
1 eggplant, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
sunflower oil
salt and pepper
soy sauce (optional)


Heat oil in a big skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the eggplant until they start browning. Add the tomatoes, pak choi, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
If you decide to use soy sauce then leave the salt out, and just add some soy sauce at the end of the cooking.

Serves 3-4

Araksya's tip: You can use kale, turnips, swiss chard or spinach instead of pak choi.


Fried veggies


2 skinny eggplants or 1 big eggplant
1 big bell pepper (yellow, orange, or red)
2 tomatoes, chopped
sunflower oil for frying
salt and pepper



Heat enough oil on medium heat to cover the bottom of a big skillet. While the oil is heating, peel the eggplant in stripes leaving some skins on. Cut them in half lengthwise and slice them. Clean the pepper and slice them in stripes.

Fry the eggplant and peppers in small batches until they start browning. Add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Serves 3-4