Stir-Fried Pea Shoots
Wondering what to do with young pea shoots? These stir-fried pea shoots are incredibly easy to make and full of flavor; a tasty spring side dish that comes together in 15 minutes! Vegan.
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Wondering what to do with young pea shoots? These stir-fried pea shoots are incredibly easy to make and full of flavor; a tasty spring side dish that comes together in 15 minutes! Vegan.
A delicious plant-based option for the grill! Grilled Tofu is fast, easy and perfect for grilling on the barbecue. This recipe uses a dry rub, making it very adaptable to different spice mixes and fun flavor profiles.
Pasta Primavera is the perfect Spring dish packed with fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce.
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For me nothing says Spring quite like a big serving of Pasta Primavera! This dish is full of fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce. Now I know I’m not the only one who struggles getting their daily veggies, which is why I love this recipe. It incorporates lots of colorful vegetables, is simple to toss together and the leftovers are just as good the next day!
Although the name Primavera stands for “Spring” in Italian, Pasta Primavera is actually a popular American dish that was first introduced in the 1970s. It includes lots of fresh Spring and Summer vegetables that are sauteed and tossed with pasta in a light cream sauce. In this recipe we opted for a fresh lemon and butter sauce.
Pasta Primavera is such a simple and fresh recipe, you’ll only need a few ingredients to make this impressive dish. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Pasta Primavera:
Absolutely! Pasta Primavera is extremely versatile. You could mix and match with other vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, green beans or any fresh vegetables that are in season that will cook in relatively the same amount of time. This is also a great recipe to use up any leftover veggies that may be hanging out in your fridge to help reduce food waste in your kitchen.
This Pasta Primavera is certainly hearty enough to eat on its own as a main dish, but you can also serve it with some of our favorites like:
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Start by prepping your vegetables. Wash the vegetables thoroughly then cut and slice each vegetable into equal size pieces. Cut the one zucchini and one yellow squash into half moons, slice one carrot into thin rounds, thinly slice half of a red onion, cut one cup of grape tomatoes in half, and mince three cloves of garlic.
Next bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions to al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander. Transfer drained pasta to a large bowl.
While the pasta is boiling, start sautéeing the vegetables. In a large deep skillet add olive oil. Sauté carrots and onion over medium heat for 2 minutes. Next add zucchini and yellow squash and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Now add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes and frozen peas. Season the vegetables with 1 tsp salt (or to taste), 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tsp dried oregano. Sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes then turn your heat off.
Add 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet along with about 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice. Stir the vegetables well to combine.
Either add the cooked and drained penne to the skillet and stir to combine with the vegetables or transfer both the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese and about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until well combined. Add more of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.
Serve with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
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This Orzo Salad is perfect for summer gatherings and picnics. Cucumber, tomatoes, arugula, and a zesty Lemon Basil Dressing make the flavors pop! We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us. J…
Simple, herby, and delicious, this spring salad recipe is made with tender spring greens, fresh herbs, shaved fennel, and radishes tossed in a lemon dressing.
This Strawberry Galette is bright, cheery and full of springtime flavor. Lemon and rosemary perfectly compliment the sweet berries. A rustic flaky rye pastry crust encloses the succulent filling.
How to make a beautiful Pavlova- a simple dessert in elegant disguise! Light and airy, topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, it’s perfect for celebrations and gatherings. Can be made ahead, and gluten-free!
This light and fresh ramen noodle salad features crisp cabbage, shredded chicken, crunchy ramen noodles and a simple homemade vinaigrette.
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This Ramen Noodle Salad is something we ate often when I was growing up and I still love it just as much today. Why? Because it’s light, fresh, filling, uses simple and inexpensive ingredients, and holds up well in the fridge so you can eat the leftovers for days (less cooking, more eating!). Keep this recipe bookmarked because it’s going to get you through those long hot days of Summer!
This Ramen noodle salad is simply a mix of finely shredded cabbage, chicken, carrots, green onion, almonds, and …drum roll… uncooked instant ramen noodles for a little extra CRUNCH! The salad also features a simple light dressing that has Asian inspired flavors, like ginger, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. A lot of people call this salad Chinese Chicken Salad, but it’s not an authentic Chinese recipe, so we’re rebranding it with a more accurate name, Ramen Noodle Salad.
This salad is usually made with Napa cabbage, which has a slightly lighter and more delicate texture than regular green cabbage, but it’s totally flexible. Napa cabbage was a little on the expensive side when I was at the store this week so I swapped it out for some green cabbage and added a little purple cabbage for color. You can use all green cabbage if you want, or if you want to take an even bigger short cut just use two bags of pre-shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots) instead of shredding your own. …But freshly shredded always tastes better. ;)
I love salads because you can add so many different things to them and this Ramen Noodle Salad is no exception! Here are some other fun ingredients you can add to the ramen noodle salad, if you have them on hand:
If you plan to meal prep this ramen noodle salad (highly recommend), you have a couple of options. If you want the ramen noodles to stay super crunchy, don’t stir them into the salad before storing. Simply sprinkle them over each serving just before eating. I kind of like the way the ramen soaks up the flavor of the dressing over time, but you do you! The almonds will also soften slightly as the salad is refrigerated. The salad will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Make the dressing first. Whisk together ¼ cup neutral salad oil, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Set the dressing aside.
Shred about six cups of cabbage for the salad. You can use green cabbage, purple cabbage, Napa cabbage, or any mix of the above. Shred the cabbage as finely as possible.
Shred one carrot and slice four green onions.
Shred about two cups of cooked chicken breast. We used a rotisserie chicken, but you could cook your own chicken breast or even use canned chicken breast.
Place the shredded cabbage, carrot, green onion, and chicken in a bowl. Crush one 3 oz. package of instant ramen noodles (discard seasoning packet or save for another use). Add the crushed ramen noodles and ¼ cup sliced almonds to the bowl. Pour the prepared dressing over top.
Toss the salad well until everything is evenly mixed and coated in dressing.
Serve the ramen noodle salad immediately or refrigerate up to four days. Always give the salad a good stir just before serving to redistribute the dressing.
Enjoy that crunchy fresh goodness!!
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These Salmon Tacos are healthy and delicious and fun to make! The salmon is coated in cajun spice and quickly blackened in a skillet, then paired with a flavorful cabbage-fennel slaw, pickled onions and mashed avocado.
This fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious Tortellini Salad feeds a crowd on a dime. The best part: you can put it together in minutes!
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This fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious Tortellini Salad feeds a crowd on a dime. My favorite part? It only takes a few minutes to put together. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Win! Win! Win! It’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light lunch at home. Get ready to put this Tortellini Salad recipe on repeat!
Tortellini is a type of pasta stuffed with meat, vegetables, or cheese, then shaped into a small ring. To make the salad, the cooked and cooled tortellini is mixed with summer vegetables, herbs, greens, and a vinaigrette. Sometimes chopped cured meats or pickled peppers are added. For me, the pure joy of it is that it comes together in three steps, it’s super filling, and it’s a perfect choice for when you have an army to feed but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
The pasta is the star here, and though you can use any kind of tortellini, we chose cheese tortellini to keep the flavor profile simple. Here’s what you need to make Tortellini Salad:
Though it makes a wonderful meal on its own, you can also serve Tortellini Salad as part of a larger meal, like a backyard barbecue or picnic. It’s a perfect side for Greek Marinated Chicken or Quick Garlic Butter Shrimp. I love serving it with No-Knead Homemade Focaccia and Balsamic Roasted Vegetables.
Tortellini salad keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. Just make sure to store leftovers in an airtight container. If you want to make the salad ahead of time, I recommend making the tortellini, chopping and salting the squash and zucchini, and prepping the rest of the ingredients. Add the tortellini to a large container and top with the veg and then the greens. Mix with Parmesan and dressing when you’re ready to serve.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
First, cook one pound of tortellini according to the package directions. Then drain well and cool in a very large bowl in the fridge.
While the tortellini is cooking, slice the summer squash and the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds and then quarter the rounds. Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and mix.
Once the tortellini has cooled, you’re ready to assemble. First, top the tortellini with 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sliced red onion, 2 cups fresh baby spinach, and 1/2 cup sliced black olives. Then drizzle with 1/2 cup of Italian dressing.
Next, top the salad with 1/2 cup of chopped Italian parsley and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Then drizzle with the final 1/4 cup of Italian dressing. Finally, mix, and serve! Wasn’t that easy? Now go feed your army and enjoy your time with them instead of spending it in your kitchen!
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