9.25.2017

Pesto Pasta Salad


Pesto Pasta Salad

1 handful cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 slices chopped cooked bacon
3 slices chopped prosciutto
bowtie pasta
1/4 cup pesto (recipe below)

Boil pasta until al dente, then drain. Add thawed peas to the pasta and stir to combine. Add chopped bacon, prosciutto and cherry tomatoes to each serving. Finish with a dollop of pesto.

Pesto:
1/2 cup walnuts (toasted)
11/2 cups fresh basil
1 tsp garlic powder (or 3 cloves fresh)
1 green onion
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c parmesan cheese
the juice from one lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Add toasted walnuts to a food processor and blend until they look like breadcrumbs. Add half of the olive oil, cheese and lemon juice, then blend again. Finally, add the garlic powder, fresh basil and green onion. Add the rest of the olive oil and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper amounts to taste.









9.23.2017

Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower Curry Soup







This recipe was adapted from one by Vaishali at Holy Cow Vegan.

I chopped up brussels sprouts and added cauliflower to a mix of spices sauteeing in onion and olive oil. Lemongrass, ginger, garlic and curry spices made this soup delicious and flavorful. I also added a few cups of chicken stock to make it more of a soup and less of a stew. 

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper
7 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
3 Tablespoons grated ginger
2 stalks lemongrass
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 tomatoes, diced
1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1/2 can coconut cream
1 lime or lemon
1/2 cup spicy peanuts for garnish

Add olive oil to a large stockpot over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper until translucent, then add the garlic and cook until just fragrant before adding the rest of the spices. Cook for ten minutes, stirring often. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to combine and heat through. Next, add the brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Stir to combine and heat through again. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender- about ten minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and cream, heat through. Serve immediately and garnish with lime wedge and spicy peanuts. 

9.09.2017

Apple Crisp


Fall is here and so are the apples! I used apples from my mom's backyard to make this festive dessert. The recipe is simple (only seven ingredients) and took an hour from start to finish.