Vegetarian Pasta Bake

Meat free week day 5.  A busy day with my son, starting with some toast with butter and ginger jam, lunch was a picnic (hospital clinic) of cucumber, pepper and carrot dipped into hummus and a piece of sweetcorn pizza followed by half a bag of crisps  and half of my son's apple.  I also had some melon in the afternoon.

For tea, my son and I then ate a vegetarian pasta bake together.  It was a simple mix of cooked wholemeal pasta, home made (made previously and frozen) pasta sauce and fried courgette (zucchini) and mushrooms.

This was all topped with white sauce and vintage cheddar then served with green vegetables (beans and peas).  Five vegetables on one plate.  I hesitate to call it a recipe because it's my go to use up stuff and get my son (and me) eating vegetables kind of meal.  It's also good with meat, prawns, anchovies, chorizo, bacon, cooked chicken etc if you are a meat eater.

Vegetarian Pasta Bake - Serves 2, leftovers reheat well for lunch

Ingredients

70g, 2.5oz wholemeal pasta
300g, 10oz tomato based pasta sauce (I use leftover tomato and basil soup reduced a little)
120g, 4oz courgette (zucchini)
4 mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil

250ml, 1/2 pint milk
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

60g, 2oz Vintage cheddar

Method

Cook the pasta following pack instructions until just al dente.

In the meantime, chop up the courgette and mushrooms and fry in the oil.  In the meantime, heat the milk in a microwave until boiling.  Mix the cornflour with some cold water and mix into the hot milk.  If it doesn't thicken immediately, continue to heat in the microwave but keep a close eye on it as it can boil over.

Put on the oven to 200oC, 400F, Gas Mark 6.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it, then mix with the pasta sauce and browned courgette and mushrooms.  Pour into a baking dish, top with the white sauce, then grate the cheese on top.

Bake for approx 25 minutes or until well browned.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes or so and then serve with salad or vegetables.

The big thing I've found with going vegetarian for the week is that because I don't eat a massive amount of processed foods (apart from sausages and chorizo), I've replaced the meat with more vegetables.  It means that I'm having no problem eating the amount of fruits and vegetables I should eat (which varies between 5 and 10 a day depending on who you listen to).  Today was pretty crazy though.  I had; some grapes as a snack, pepper, cucumber, carrot, chickpeas, melon, tomato, courgette, mushrooms, peas, flat beans...  So many!  This week has made me realise though that I am not that adventurous when it comes to fruits and vegetables.  I have my favourites I tend to stick to.  I would have to mix it up if I stuck to this longer term.  But then don't we all get into a food rut now and again?  This is why challenges like this are sometimes interesting.

And the hospital clinic?  It was for my son's allergies or I should say allergy!  Our original multiple allergy diagnosis is now down to one, brazil nuts.  It's an amazing improvement on where we were and will bring so much more variety back into my house.

I've linked this up to recipe of the week.