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Zoodles with Chunky Eggplant Sauce

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to fall meals, I crave comforting foods.

Foods that are easy to put together, but taste like they’ve been cooking all day.

You know  – spaghetti, baked ziti, lasagna, chili … all those delicious, hearty meals. Meals to curl up on the couch with, to watch a movie, read a good book or even for game day (go Browns!). I have also begun to enjoy the occasional meatless meal and find that if done right, vegetarian dishes can be great fall comfort meals. That’s why when Silk challenged me to join their Sideline Meat campaign and come up with a Meatless Monday meal, I was excited to participate. And challenged to find a meal that even B (as you know, he has a self-proclaimed “meat tooth”) would enjoy.

Introducing this eggplant “pasta” dish. It should be no surprise that I’m choosing a zucchini pasta dish. I’m a lover of my zoodler (aka spiralizer) and I love making zoodles. Plus, the Silk adds a somewhat creaminess to the sauce and served over zoodles, it’s nearly guilt-free. Enjoy!

Zoodles with Chunky Eggplant Sauce-icrashedtheweb

Zoodles with Chunky Eggplant Sauce 

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced into one-inch pieces
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced
  • Generous sprinkle of hot pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup almond milk – I used Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
  • 2 zucchini, spiralized (this is the zoodler I use)
ingredients

ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat a medium to large size pan over medium high heat. When hot, add olive oil, and then add the chopped eggplant. Cook until brown, about 3-4 minutes, and then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add add the shallot and garlic, and continue cooking until the eggplant and the onions are soft, about 3-6 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato and cook for another 3-4 minutes until it starts to get juicy. Add hot pepper flakes generously over the veggies. I like my food spicy so I added a lot – add as much as you feel comfortable with. Feel free to add salt at this time as well.
  4. Turn the heat down to medium and add the almond milk. Cook until the tomato sauce is a little thick. When everything looks about done, add in the zoodles. Cook for an additional 2 minutes or so, carefully so the zoodles don’t get soggy, and then plate.
  5. Enjoy!
sauce is looking good!

sauce is looking good!

Zoodles with Chunky Eggplant Sauce

ready to eat!

Some questions for you:

  • What’s your favorite fall comfort food?
  • Have you ever cooked with almond milk? What did you make?

Disclosure: While I was not compensated for this post, product was provided to me by Silk. My views and comments are solely my own and do not represent those of WhiteWave and/or Silk.

For more Meatless Monday posts, check out some of my past recipes or visit the linkup below!

Almond Milk Volcano Rice Pudding

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

Have I mentioned I’m a Meatless Monday blogger? I am! And while I’m not a vegetarian, I do enjoy the occasional meatfree dish.

That’s why when I was provided a package from Lotus Foods with a few different meatless, carbalicious (rice and ramen) yum yums, I was super excited to try them out and share the recipes with you. I had also recently gotten some coupons from Silk and was interested in seeing what I could make from the both – what could I do to combine Silk’s dairy free milk with Lotus Foods package?

goodies from Lotus Foods!

goodies from Lotus Foods!

I’ll have some savory meals coming soon, but first off, I knew I had to try making some rice pudding. My mom always made such good rice pudding growing up. It was creamy, soothing, warm, and so so so delicious. Inspired by memories of her dessert, I bring you Almond Milk Volcano Rice Pudding. Probably a little better for you than the version I had growing up, but still pretty good!

Almond Milk Volcano Rice Pudding

Almond Milk Volcano Rice Pudding

  • 2 cups almond milk – I used Silk unsweetened original
  • 1/2 cup rice – I used the Lotus Foods Organic Volcano Rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/3 c. maple syrup
the ingredients - so few and so simple! (minus maple syrup. it was camera shy)

the ingredients – so few and so simple! (minus maple syrup. it was camera shy)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Place the almond milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle bubble and lower the heat to simmer.
  2. Add the rice and season it with the cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Stir until the spices are evenly coating the rice and almond milk. Cook for 10 minutes until milk is starting get absorbed.
  3. Pour into an oven-safe pan and cook for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees until nearly all of the milk is absorbed. Serve warm or cold, topped with additional cinnamon and maple syrup if you like.

Some questions for you:

  • Have you ever had volcanic rice? What did you think of it?
  • What’s your favorite rice dish? I need new recipes!
  • Do you have a favorite childhood dessert?

Disclosure: While I was not compensated for this post, product was provided to me by Silk and Lotus Foods. My views and comments are solely my own and do not represent those of Lotus Foods or Silk.

For more Meatless Monday posts, check out some of my past recipes or visit the linkup below!