The Smell of Epicure

Hello again!

Today, I want to talk about how much I love the smells of cooking and baking. There is nothing like leaving your house for a few minutes, coming back inside, and having the aroma of whatever you are cooking wash over you.

So, let me ask you: What's your favorite food smell? What makes you stop what you're doing and pause, inhale, and relax for a minute?

I'll give you a few of mine!

Cookies. Bread. Curry. Grilled Veggies. Stew. Homemade Pasta Sauce

The best smells that I remember are when I came home from school and my mom would have supper started. While I don't eat the same things now (roast beef, pork chops, etc), I can still remember loving the different smells and looking forward to eating whatever she was making.

It's that sense of anticipation that I want you to remember as you cook this week! Use your favorite smells and create those happy memories for your friends and family!

This week's recipe is another easier one, with ingredients easy to find in any grocery store!

Pasta with Homemade Sauce

1 pkg whole wheat pasta (if someone doesn't like the thicker texture of wholewheat, cheat and buy Catelli Smart brand - you can't even tell!)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 tsp VE Minced Garlic

1 pkg veggie ground round - beef or chicken

1 796 mL canned crushed tomatoes - unseasoned

1 tsp VE Greek Oregano

1 tsp VE Basil

1 tsp VE Parsley

VE Crushed Chilies (to taste)

salt and pepper (to taste)

You will need 2 pots for this recipe

In one pot, pour in the olive oil, carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are see-through (transparent) over medium heat.

Add the ground round to the 'sauce' pot and break apart.

Add 6 cups of water to your 'pasta' pot and bring to a boil

Add the can of tomatoes and spices, including chilies and salt/pepper if you are wanting to use them. Keep in mind, your tomatoes will be kept in salt for preservation, so you will probably not need to add a lot, if any. You can also use a salt alternative if you are trying to watch your sodium intake.

Simmer the sauce on a low heat, stirring every few minutes. If the sauce starts to spatter, turn the heat off, but continue to stir.

Once the pasta water has boiled, add your pasta and cook for the required time (rule of thumb: 7 minutes is firm, 9 minutes is al dente (slightly firm), and 11 minutes is quite soft). Once the pasta is the texture you want it, pour into colander and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process.

Serve immediately!

Again, this is my own preference for amounts in terms of spices. If it's too strong, add less; too weak? Add more!

As always, feel free to email me with feedback or a recipe suggestion - maybe something you love that's not vegan and you want me to try and make a vegan recipe for it!

Keep Eating!

Abigail