Cyd Notter

Author and Nutrition Educator, Founder of The "Plan A" Diet™

Flexible Sheet Pan Dinners

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I received an article today about one pan meals that are ready in 40 minutes. I’m interested!

I’d never heard of a Sheet Pan Dinner (or ‘tray bake’ according to the article). But I can certainly see the benefits!

By combining an uncooked grain, freshly cut veggies, a can of beans or peas, spices, and veggie broth/water on a baking tray, you can have a complete, nutrient-filled meal in 40 minutes. Add in your favorite sauces or dressings if desired, as well as optional nuts, seeds, or nutritional yeast.

Here’s the entire article (along with recipes) on the Forks over Knives website.

I was leery that my baking tray would hold 3.5 cups of liquid, so I did a test and it surely does. I typically use a silicone baking sheet liner (or at the very least, a piece of parchment paper) when roasting or baking, but that may not be necessary with this type of dish. I plan to make the “curry and rice” recipe first, but the flexibility of Sheet Pan Dinners offers countless possibilities!

Minimal effort, minimal clean-up, flexible recipes, and foods which are packed with protein, calcium, and other vital nutrients. What’s not to love?

P.S. Want to make quick, Roasted Veggie Pasta? Watch my video here on how to roast the veggies – without oil! Then serve the roasted veggies over whole grain pasta which is topped with a healthy pasta sauce (Aldi has oil-free, organic pasta sauce for under $2 a jar). Everyone loves it!

Let me know if you try the Sheet Pan Dinners (or the Roasted Veggie Pasta)!

Other helpful resources:

A free class: 3 Reasons Dieters Regain the Weight 

A free copy of The 21-Day Meal Plan

Most popular class: Inflammation & Your Diet

Dieting this January? Instead, get this course now and be ready for a permanent change.

Need a gift idea? A signed copy of The “Plan A” Diet would be a great stocking stuffer!

 

Santa Fe Penne

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When you’re in the mood for a pasta/bean dish, here’s a healthy, easy recipe you might enjoy. I say it’s easy because minimal chopping is required (but you do have to boil pasta).

Santa Fe Penne is a free recipe from the Forks Meal Planner website (recipe by Darshana Thacker). Here’s the link plus a video. I’ve made it a couple times, and we do enjoy it. But…..

….it does need something extra, either a bit of heat or additional spice.

I used this Low-Sodium Seasoned Sea Salt product with good results, but I’m sure you could use whatever spices (or hot sauce?) you prefer. Let us know what you think if you give this one a try.

 

Ziti with Zucchini and ‘Sausage’

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Ziti with Zucchini and Sausage

Ready for recipe experiment #2? Recently I  posted that I was in a cooking rut and decided to try two new recipes. Both of them were deemed to be “keepers!” Hubby and I have slightly different palettes, so a “keeper” means it passed both of our taste tests  – and will (hopefully) pass yours, too!The first recipe I shared was called “Spicy Grilled Crab Patties with Aioli” – it was easy and delicious. In case you missed it, you can read about it here. 

The other recipe is for Italian Sausage from the Brand New Vegan website. Oh my, if you are looking to make an Italian Sausage sandwich with marinara, or if you’d like to add sausage to your soups or stews, [Read more…]

Roasted Veggie Pasta

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Another all time favorite at our house! Top w/sauce (optional) and home-made Faux Parmesan for added delicious-ness!Roasted Veggie Pasta

1 red onion
1 large red bell pepper
1 pound fresh asparagus (remove tough ends)
2 cups button mushrooms (clean and remove any tough stems)
2 tomatoes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian herbs
1 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
8-12 oz. whole grain pasta, cook and drain according to package directions

(Optional: Marinara of your choice. Use an oil-free brand such as Aldi’s organic marinara or tomato basil; or make your own delicious variety)

Preheat oven to 450. Cut all vegetables into bite size pieces. Place veggies in a bowl and toss with spices. Spread in a single layer on 1-2 large baking sheets lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and bake until just tender – about 10-12 minutes. (NOTE: If using a silicone baking mat, be sure to adjust your oven to not exceed the MAX temperature the mat is rated. For example, my silicone mat is rated for 450 degrees max, so I roast my veggies at 425 to be safe). Arrange pasta on platter, top with marinara and roasted veggies.

Faux Parmesan
Equal amounts of cashews and nutritional yeast (example: 1/4 cup each) with a no-salt spice such as Mrs. Dash, or garlic powder, to season as you like. Grind in blender until powdery, but use caution….if you blend too long it will turn into paste.