Whenever I’m cooking pasta, I always put the proper amount of dry pasta for the number of servings I want into the boiling water and then I do something crazy every time – I add at least a handful more!

It just never looks like enough, even though I know it is. I bet you do the same thing. If so, you might find yourself with some leftover naked pasta lying around. What do you do with it?

I make spaghetti frittata with whatever other odds and ends I have hanging out in my refrigerator. It’s great because you can use small amounts of leftover cooked vegetables, little knobs of leftover cheese, herbs, or what have you. Remember, wasted food is not green and can contribute to global warming if it goes to landfill so use it all up!

Here’s a flexible recipe that serves 2 or 3 people.

2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1/2 of an onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cups of assorted vegetables (you might grate a small zucchini, throw in a handful of spinach, toss in some leftover roasted potatoes or squash, or slice some mushrooms).

The post Frugal Cooking: Spaghetti Frittata appeared first on EcoSalon.

I never think of Halloween until the last possible moment and then I end up with no costume, no plans, and no food ideas. I think it’s my form of rebellion after living in San Francisco for so many years (many of them in the Castro).

I don’t want EcoSalon readers to suffer the same fate so I scoured the web for ideas that involve good food without artificial colors, flavors, or other food additives. You’ll find plenty of tasty treats, a fun cocktail idea, and some general green party tips.

Enjoy a safe, healthy, and green Halloween!

Heidi at 101 Cookbooks helpfully compiled links to all of her Halloween inspired recipes last fall. And there are some good ones here. Caramel apples with all-natural ingredients, toasted pumpkin seeds with creative flavor profiles, and a roasted pumpkin salad that sounds fantastic. Heidi’s recipes are always vegetarian and use all natural, healthy whole foods, so you can’t go wrong.

Because wasting anything edible (including pumpkin seeds) is not green, you’ll definitely want to use this recipe for all-natural Pumpkin Seed Brittle from Alton Brown via The Daily Green.

Martha can always be counted on for the most creative ideas. Here’s a “bleeding heart” martini that uses pickled beets in place of olives. Try some Fair Trade Vodka instead of gin, if you’re so inclined. Or check out Peak Spirits. A small, artisan distillery that produces organic vodka and gin.

Finally, for general green party tips for Halloween or anytime, have a look at these tips from Danny Seo via Epicurious.

Image: Ack Ook

The post Halloween Harvest: Tips, Ideas and Recipes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Instead of going from zero to 60 in no time flat, we’ve gone from the 90s to 60s in less than a week. I’m talking temperature.

Just last week I was panting at my desk and now I’m stepping outside for a spot of sun every time my fingers freeze up at the keyboard.

I have to confess that I’ve been eating nothing but salads, raw tomatoes, cheese, fruit, bread, and sometimes leftovers for lunch lately. But now I want soup. The hot weather had gotten me a little out of the habit of hauling out the big stock pots and turning on the stove, so in truth, I’m feeling a little lazy.

But I still want soup. And I want it homemade. I just want it to be easy and streamlined. As a way to ease into soup making season, I’ve hit up some of my favorite food blogs for three simple soup recipes, each with very few ingredients, to get you back into the soup-making swing of things.

From 101 Cookbooks, we’ve got a warming (and vegetarian) red lentil soup recipe. The addition of brown rice makes it a complete meal.

Here’s a recipe for Barley Beans and Chard Soup from The Dinner Files that can be made vegetarian or not, depending on the stock you use. I bet you have most of these ingredients on hand already. I often make a similar soup with rice (in case you don’t have the barley).

My favorite dry-farmed potato vendor is back at my local farmers’ market. Cooking with Amy provides us with the simplest ever Potato Leek Soup. She’s right, the less you fuss with additional ingredients the better.

Image: Claire L Evans

The post Time to Kick Off Soup Making Season appeared first on EcoSalon.