Make Ahead Shells

This past week's "make ahead meals" included stuffed shells.  I'd be lost without these easy oven meals that I can prep on the weekend!

Weeks ago I found this "grand shell" Tinkyada pasta at some co-op besides my own.  Maybe Valley Natural Co-op?  Can't remember!   We love stuffed shells, but haven't made them in quite a while because that'd be really mean to Mike.  So I was thrilled to find some gluten free ones- especially Tinkyada brand, because that's our favorite brand.  

I very loosely followed Lucinda Scala Quinn's recipe from November's Living.  Basically, I just liked her idea of adding raddichio or cabbage to the shell mixture.  Great way to get more greens!  I would usually have just used spinach, but I used both spinach and savoy cabbage and it was great.  My favorite shell filling is the cashew ricotta from Veganomicon.  And, of course, homemade tomato sauce- This was my first jar from this year's batch- Yum!

And because I love Tinkyada pasta so much, here's a picture of our cat, Trouble Tinkyada.  She likes yarn.

 Another easy meal in my lunchbox this week was roasted carnival (or maybe acorn) squash with balsamic vinegar.  I paired this with all sorts of other veggies and soups in my lunches this week.

It's especially good cold with toasted walnuts and greens on top- Like a squash salad bowl.

I scooped some of this squash out of the peel tonight and added it to a hot skillet with leftover green beans and Tofurky Italian sausage.  Sounds a little weird, but it was amazing!  I will definitely be repeating that combination- sweet squash and spicy sausage with slightly crunchy green beans.  Wish I had more squash right now...