This recipe is a re-boot of my family’s favorite pasta. It’s incredibly flavorful and loaded with sausage, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes. The difference is that I substituted Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausage for traditional meat sausage. I haven’t made this recipe for about five years, since I stopped eating meat, so I was happy when Beyond Meat introduced their wonderful vegan sausages. Top with freshly grated Vio-Life Vegan Parm for a salty, nutty flavor. The recipe tastes just the same as it used to, but now its guilt-free. I guess you really can go back home…

This is one of the first recipes I started making early in my marriage back in the 80’s. I had no idea how to cook, so I ordered a subscription to a monthly book series, “Great Meals in Minutes” which is really how I learned to cook. The format of the books is quite brilliant and shows step by step instructions, but most importantly teaches HOW TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE AT THE SAME TIME! which is always the biggest challenge in cooking. With that in mind, I try to design my recipes incorporating all the steps including a photo of what the dish is supposed to look like. Call me needy, but I like to know what I’m shooting for.

This recipe is based on one that originally came from the Pasta Menus book of this series. It quickly became a favorite of ours and then of our kids too, once they were old enough that we didn’t have to separate their food into piles that didn’t touch each other any longer. Once you’re there, you’re golden. However, for those parents with young kids, this recipe also worked when we were at that phase of life. I would fix the kids plates with plain pasta with butter with sauteed zucchini (or defrosted peas) and plain sauteed sausage. Then I would proceed to make the proper dish for the grown ups. Easy, and I didn’t have to become a short order cook in the process.

SHORT CUTS & SUBSTITUTIONS: Over the years, I have taken short cuts when necessary. I think this dish is best when the sausage and veggies are cooked separately and added to the sauce toward the end, as their flavors and textures are retained, however, I have also had good results doing it all in one pot. Saute the onions and garlic, then add the sausage and cook about five minutes. Add mushrooms and wine and let evaporate. Then add tomatoes, herbs, and zucchini. Simmer while pasta is cooking. Another short cut is to use diced tomatoes with Italian herbs already included. If you prefer a smoother sauce, substitute crushed tomatoes. If it is still tomato season, you can use fresh tomatoes. Just parboil them for a few minutes in boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon and peel when cool enough to handle. Dice and use as directed in the recipe. Or go the lazy way and just dice whole. The skins will mostly disappear into the sauce if you cook them a little longer.

VEGAN PRODUCTS:I like to share new vegan products as I find ones I like. (FYI, there are many I don’t like and no one pays me to recommend products) BEYOND MEAT offers a Sweet and a Hot Italian Sausage. I like them both but think the hot has a little better flavor without being too spicy.. The sausage has a pleasing texture too. You can cook them as you would any meat sausage but not for as long since they aren’t really raw and you don’t want them to dry out. I also really like the VIO LIFE JUST LIKE PARMESAN. It comes in a small wedge so you can freshly grate it as needed. It tastes just like regular parmesan. Click the underlined product names above for nutritional information on their products.

PASTA TIPS: Don’t forget to save a cup of pasta water before draining! It literally is the magic that restaurants use to make a sauce glisten. Its not the same as adding hot water. Pasta water contains essential starch that smooths out your sauce and gives it a velvety quality. You should never rinse pasta after cooking (unless you are making a cold pasta salad) and pasta should remain wet, not dry, because the starch is what helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Adding oil to your cooked pasta to prevent sticking actually prevents your sauce from sticking to the pasta which may seem counter-intuitive. Instead, add back a little pasta water. Trust me, pasta water will change your life…

SPAGHETTI WITH ‘SAUSAGE’, ZUCCHINI AND MUSHROOMS (VEGAN)

1/2 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil(divided)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsn fresh chopped basil or 1/2 tsp dried
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
Salt (for pasta water)
1 lb spaghetti or spaghettini
2-3 small zucchini (1 lb)
5-6 mushrooms (criminy or white)
1 lb sweet or spicy Beyond Meat Italian Sausages
3 Tbsn red wine
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

Chop onion and garlic finely. Heat half of the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
Set pasta water with salt and a drizzle of olive oil to bring to a boil.

Add tomatoes, basil and thyme to onion mixture and stir to combine. I like to rinse the tomato can out with about a quarter cup of water and add to the pan. Simmer 10 minutes on low.

While sauce is cooking, slice zucchini into 1/8 inch rounds. Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel, remove tough ends and thinly slice

Heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium heat and saute zucchini several minutes until lightly browned Remove zucchini to a plate and set aside

Beyond Meat sausage has no casings to remove. Just break off small pieces with your fingers. Saute sausage in the same pan, breaking it into a crumble with a wooden spoon. Add mushrooms and mix gently. Add wine and let it evaporate.

Add zucchini and sausage mixture into the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Let simmer over low heat while pasta is cooking. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Before draining, remove one cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain but do not rinse pasta.

Add about a 1/2 cup pasta water to sauce and stir to combine. Its the magic ingredient that binds everything together! If it seems too dry or too skimpy, add the rest and simmer until ready to serve.

Spoon sauce on top of pasta or mix all together, depending on your preference. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Spaghetti with Vegan Sausage, Zucchini and Mushrooms

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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1/2 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil(divided)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsn fresh chopped basil or 1/2 tsp dried
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
Salt (for pasta water)
1 lb spaghetti or spaghettini
2-3 small zucchini (1 lb)
5-6 mushrooms (criminy or white)
1 lb sweet or spicy Beyond Meat Italian Sausages
3 Tbsn red wine
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Chop onion and garlic finely
2. Heat half of the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
3. Set pasta water with salt and a drizzle of olive oil to bring to a boil.
4. Add tomatoes, basil and thyme to onion mixture and stir to combine. I like to rinse the tomato can out with about a quarter cup of water and add to the pan. Simmer 10 to minutes on low.
5. While sauce is cooking, slice zucchini into 1/8 inch rounds
6. Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel, remove tough ends and thinly slice
7. Beyond Meat sausage has no casings to remove. Just break into small pieces with your fingers.
8. Heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium heat and saute zucchini several minutes until lightly browned Remove zucchini to a plate and set aside
9. Saute sausage in the same pan, breaking it into a crumble with a wooden spoon. Add mushrooms and mix gently. Add wine and let it evaporate.
10. Add zucchini and sausage mixture into the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Let simmer over low heat while pasta is cooking. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Cook spaghetti according to directions. Before draining, remove one cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain but do not rinse pasta.
12. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup pasta water to sauce and stir to combine. Its the magic ingredient! If it seems too dry or too skimpy, add the rest.
13. Spoon sauce on top of pasta or mix all together, depending on your preference. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Seared Scallops with Zucchini “Pasta” and Roasted Beet Salad

Last summer, spent at our Maine house, was a balancing act when it came to dinner, which we rotated among friends and took turns hosting. I had just begun the Good Mother Diet, my husband was protein heavy and mostly carb free and our friend, Rick went back to our ancestral roots with the Paleo diet. Well here is a meal that satisfies all three! The pasta is not real pasta, but noodles made by slicing zucchini into long, skinny spaghetti-like ribbons. For this a mandolin works best, however, you can also use a grater, zester or potato peeler but it won’t look as nice. If you want it to look even more like spaghetti, you can peel the zucchini before cutting it but I prefer to keep the skins (and vitamins) in the dish.

This is my favorite way to prepare beets. Roasting, rather than boiling, intensifies the color and flavor, plus it is by far the easiest way to remove the skin. Using varieties with different colors makes for a prettier dish. If making the entire meal, start by roasting the beets since that can take a half hour or so, depending on the size of your beets and get the zucchini ‘pasta’ going. The beets can be made ahead of time and will last in the refrigerator several days. The actual cooking time of everything else is pretty short and should be done just before serving. Paleos, like Rick, should omit the pistachios, cheese and seasoning/salt.

Serves 4

Roasted Beet Salad

4 beets

1-2 Tbsn olive oil

1 head butter lettuce (washed and separated)

Vinaigrette ( ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsn Dijon Mustard, salt and pepper)

Feta (optional)

Cut leafy stalks off the beets, taking care not to cut into the flesh. (You want to keep all the juice inside). Reserve leaves for another use or chop them and saute in olive or butter with garlic and serve on the side.

Wash and dry beets but don’t peel them. (The peel will slide off easily after they are roasted). Lay them on a large piece of aluminum foil. Brush them with olive oil and fold the foil up and seal into a leak-proof package, or you can use a covered baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Larger beets can take up to an hour, so check often. Be careful when you open the pouches, as they will be very steamy and can burn your fingers.
Remove from heat and let cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off by hand or with a papertowel. (You will be surprised how easy it is).
Slice and serve with lettuce and sliced apple. Drizzle with vinaigrette and top with feta, if desired.

Seared Sea Scallops and Zucchini “Pasta”

1 lb large sea scallops

2 Tbsn avocado oil (or another oil that does well in high heat)

1/2 tsp creole seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s) or just salt and pepper

¼ cup white wine

4 – 6 zucchini (depending on size)

1 Tbsn olive oil plus 1 Tbsn butter (or all olive oil)

¼ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped (Optional)

2 oz parmesan, grated or thinly sliced Optional)

Using a mandolin, cut the unpeeled zucchini into thin pasta sized ribbons. (A grater or potato peeler will work as well). Place the ‘pasta’ strands on a papertowel and sprinkle with salt. . Cover
with a papertowel and press down gently. Let them ‘sweat’ for about 30 minutes to remove the extra moisture.

Toast the chopped pistachios in a small, dry pan on medium heat for a few minutes (until you can smell them cooking). Let cool.
Heat olive oil and butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and add ‘pasta’ and pistachios. Toss gently. Top with parmesan if desired..
Wash and dry scallops. Put them in a bowl with the oil and seasoning. Gently mix until scallops are coated. The oil should not pool in the bottom of the bowl. Pour off excess oil that doesn’t mix back in. The scallops won’t sear if there is too much moisture or oil.
Heat a cast iron, or other skillet, on medium high to high heat. The pan should be very hot. Cook scallops in a single layer, without crowding. You may have to cook them in two batches. Cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side 2 minutes.
Remove scallops from the pan. Add wine to the hot pan and stir to deglaze and reduce the liquid to make a sauce. If you overcook and too much liquid goes away, just add a bit of water.
To serve, place ¼ of the ‘pasta’ mixture on each plate. Top with ¼ of the scallops. Drizzle with wine sauce.