Pasta Puttanesca! It’s one of the iconic pastas. Puttana is one of those words in Italian that can be substituted in many grammatical situations. As it’s used in Pasta Puttanesca, it’s like saying: “I threw a bunch of stuff together to make this spicy pasta.” We all like a spicy pasta! This one’s a favorite at my table.
Today we’re putting together a plant-based “meat loaf.” This loaf has a lip-smacking array of flavors while delivering a powerful nutritional load. It takes a little time to assemble but leaves a lasting impression.
While this meal might be reminiscent of some great Sunday dinners from the past, it’s not your Grandma’s meatloaf. It’s better. It’s topped with a tangy homemade barbecue sauce and accompanied by roasted potatoes and caramelized onions.
It’s Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Another great week of dining lies ahead. It’s time to plan ahead and create your grocery orders.
Time to clean up the leftovers in the fridge. Knock them up a notch with a nice little green salad. Enjoy your multi-course, free food night.
Enchiladas
Green salad
Pasta
Greens
If you are really short of ideas, cook a couple handfuls of spiral pasta. Brown 1 C. of frozen corn under the broiler on an oiled cookie sheet. Mix the corn with 1 C. fresh salsa to cover the pasta. Top each serving with a little shredded Parmesan. Now that’s making quick work of leftovers!
Ever-versatile bok choy (also known as White Chinese Cabbage) anchors this delicious stir-fry tonight. Toasted cashews, onions, mushrooms, red bell peppers and sliced water chestnuts provide the links that qualify this meal as a stir-fry. The ingredients are bathed in a delicious basil accented sauce and served over brown rice.
Tonight we’ll incorporate dark leafy greens into a bowl of aglio e olio pasta. (That’s pronounced “ah-lyo ay oh-lee-oh. The g is silent.) The Aglio e Olio Sauce is tweaked with a little infusion of truffle oil. Browned mushrooms, smoky tempeh and freshly cooked shrimp add umami to this flavor festival worthy of any upscale bistro.