Italian shells and salad

This is the very first recipe that I tried when I was just starting out being a vegan and it really wow'd me.
This recipe would be good for someone who is just starting out or perhaps someone afraid to use tofu....
Tofu can be intimidating when you do not know how to use it. The bright white lump can really throw off your groove if you have never tired to use it in cooking. Meat eaters can be fooled into believing this is ricotta with no problem and even squeamish children love to eat it. This is my stand by tofu ricotta recipe for lasagna and pizza.

I only buy Nasoya Organic tofu. I feel that this a the best tofu on the market.

It is also the only one I can buy where I live...lol

There is no need to drain and press your tofu for this recipe, just dump the excess water out of the container and lightly squeeze your tofu in your hands...Then crumble in a bowl..

Add 1 heaping tablespoon of garlic, 1 full tsp. parsley, and 1 tsp. of onion powder to your crumbled tofu. Then add in a huge handful of spinach that has been chopped fine. I did a quick chiffonade on mine, Kaiti likes thin strips of spinach in hers.

Mix with your hand until it is all incorporated like the above picture. Then let it rest for about 15 minutes so that all the flavors meld together nicely.

In the meantime, you can start making some garlic toasts.

Slice Italian bread thin and coat with a little olive oil, then top with some minced garlic.

You can bake this right along with your dinner, so just set it aside.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Now you want to under cook your jumbo shells by about 6 minutes, as they will continue cooking in the oven.

I used Muir Glen Organic fire roasted tomatoes and some mushroom pasta sauce for my topping. You can use any type of sauce or tomatoes for this dish.

Cover the bottom with a 1/4 of your pasta sauce, and about half of the canned tomatoes. Then take your filled shells and lay on top.

Cover the tomatoes with the remaining canned tomatoes and then top with your remaining sauce.

So it looks like this.

Stick in your oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

*Remember to put your bread in when you only have 12 minutes left....

I wanted a salad, but didn't have a ton of yummies, so here is what I made. Romaine lettuce, radishes, sliced cucumbers, and shredded carrots... I dressed it with an Italian dressing.

Finished shells.

And here is the final meal, Italian shells, garlic toast and a salad.

Kaiti loves this meal, the last time I made the mistake of only making 12 stuffed shells, and everyone was upset about no seconds....this time I made 20 and it was just Kaiti and I...

I seriously have to get used to one kid and my husband working nights. sigh..... I always make too much food lately....and then I eat it for days afterward....no wonder I can't lose any weight...lol

Well I hope you try this, it is easy, and a great weeknight meal, especially if you are rushed for time. You can make it the night before and just put it in the oven the next day after work.

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Until next time my friends...Ciao!