Veggie Riggies

This creamy pasta dish is a twist on Chicken Riggies, a upstate NY classic dish from the Utica area. During quarantine I started making this dish pretty routinely and just experimented with a vegetarian version, which turned out great!

For a protein source, instead of chicken, I used Quorn, which is a plant-based meat alternative that is rich in protein. In fact one 2 ounce portion of Quorn Meatless Fillets has 9 grams of protein and only 70 calories. What makes Quorn perfect for this dish is that it has a very neutral taste and takes on the flavor of what it is cooked with.

At the grocery store look for Quorn products in the freezer section or the ‘natural food’ freezer section and also consider checking out their chicken patties for a quick dinner, they are tasty cooked up in the air fryer!

Quorn products are reasonably priced as well, one 10 ounce package, which has 4 fillets is only about $5.

Veggie Riggies (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Veggie Riggies (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Veggie Riggies

Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
4 hot cherry peppers, sliced thin
4 Quorn Meatless Fillets, cubed
1/2 pound rigatoni, cooked and drained
1 jar roasted garlic pasta sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a skillet add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper and sweet onion. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Then add the hot cherry peppers and sauté for one minute more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

2. Add the remaining olive oil and chicken to the skillet, cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Add the vegetables back to the skillet with the chicken.

3. Add the pasta sauce and heavy cream*. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Toss the sauce with the cooked rigatoni and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

   Tip: This dish tastes great reheated too! Just add to a skillet and warm up!
   

   *For a vegan version of this dish, replace the heavy cream with 1/2 cup cashew cream or full fat oat milk.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
1 box of Banza rotini pasta*, cooked
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and dry mustard. Season with sea salt and pepper.

3. Fill a baking sheet with chopped vegetables. Drizzle with ½ of the prepare dressing. Roast the vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are roasted and tender.

4. In a serving bowl toss together the roasted vegetables and pasta. Then toss in the sliced olives, feta, and reserved dressing. Serve immediately or if desired, chill before serving.

This tastes great made ahead!

*Banza pasta is pasta made from chickpeas, which is a great option because it is rich in protein and fiber. You can substitute other rontini style pasta if desired.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

This delicious summer dish is so tasty! The pasta that is used is Banza chickpea based pasta which helps to boost the protein content of this dish. While chickpea pasta is a little pricey for the fiber and protein boost that you gain, it is definitely worth a try.

Now for the cheesy flavor… this dish gains it’s cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast which also brings along nutrition benefits because it is loaded with B-vitamins and adds protein too! You can purchase nutritional yeast in the ‘health food’ section of grocery stores or from on-line retailers like Amazon, click here for a link to purchase Nutritional Yeast from Amazon.

So if you haven’t guessed already, this recipe is vegan! If you think you won’t like vegan meals, this recipe could change your mind. Report back if you give it a try or even share a photo with Molly on social media (Instagram: @mollymorganrd, Twitter: @mollymorganrd, or Facebook!

The idea for this recipe came from Food and Wine Magazine!

Creamy Pasta Primavera - Photo: Molly Morgan

Creamy Pasta Primavera
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small sweet onion, chopped
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
2/3 cup cashews, soaked in 1 cup water and drained*
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
5 medium multicolored carrots, sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
8 ounces Banza Rotini Pasta (or whole wheat pasta)

*Soak the cashews in water for at least 1 hour to soften

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta to package instructions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.
2. Place zucchini and carrots on sheet pan, drizzle with one tablespoon of the olive oil, and roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until roasted and lightly browned.
3. In skillet add one tablespoon of the olive oil and chopped onion, and two tablespoons of garlic. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
4. In a blender combine the cashew milk, drained cashews, three tablespoons of the nutrition yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.
5. In a small skillet add remaining one tablespoon olive oil with the panko breadcrumbs, two tablespoons nutritional yeast, and one tablespoon garlic. Cook for about two minutes until panko is crispy and lightly toasted.
6. Return the pasta to the pot, add the roasted vegetables, peas, pasta cooking liquid, and sauce. Season with remaining salt. Serve topped with the panko mixture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 450 calories, 18 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 550 milligrams sodium, 58 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, and 23 grams protein

Quarantine Kitchen: Chicken Riggies

This creamy pasta dish is a favorite at our house and perfect for cooking up in quarantine times! Chicken Riggies is a dish that originates from Utica, NY.

Below is the recipe and on Facebook (Creative Nutrition Solutions) you can find a video of our son and I cooking up the dish! AND of course, remember to thoroughly wash your hands before and throughout the cooking process.

Chicken Riggies

Chicken Riggies (Image Source: Getty Images)

Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
4 hot cherry peppers, sliced thin
1 pound chicken thighs or chicken breast, cubed
1 pound rigatoni, cooked and drained
1 jar roasted garlic pasta sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a skillet add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper and sweet onion. Saute for 5 - 7 minutes, until tender. Then add the hot cherry peppers and saute for one minute more. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

2. Add the remaining olive oil and chicken to the skillet, cook for 6 - 8 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Add the vegetables back to the skillet with the chicken.

3. Add the pasta sauce and heavy cream. Simmer for 3 - 4 minutes. Toss the sauce with the cooked rigatoni and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

   ENJOY!