Whole Wheat Penne with Balsamic Butter and Asparagus

I actually made this recipe a couple of weeks ago, but haven't had the time or energy to blog it. This winter weather dragging out had really put me down in the dumps! Now that it seems to FINALLY be Spring, it's time to get back into the swing of fresh foods! I got this recipe originally off of Pinterest (of course!) from Food & Wine, making only slight adjustments. One of those adjustments being that I added fresh mozzarella; having balsamic without fresh mozzarella seems like a crime to me. The nuttiness of the whole wheat penne pairs perfectly with the fresh asparagus and balsamic reduction. Definitely one I will be making again!

Ingredient:

• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 lb whole wheat penne
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar 
• 1/4 lb or 1 stick butter, cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 8 oz ball fresh mozzarella
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°. Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus; place on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until tinder, about 10-12 minutes. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cooking penne until al dente, about 13 minutes. 

Put the balsamic in a small saucepan, simmer on low heat until it is reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons. Add the brown sugar and pepper; stir to combine. 

When pasta is ready, drain, but do not rinse. Return to the pot, along with the butter, vinegar reduction, asparagus and Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, then mix until all the ingredients are combined and the butter has melted. Cube the mozzarella and add it to the pasta mixture.

Serve with additional Parmesan. 

 

Quinoa Risotto

I saw a recipe awhile back for a mushroom "risotto" on the back of a package of qunioa from Trader Joe's and thought what a great idea! I hardly ever follow recipes, I just gather ideas from recipes I come across, then make it my own. I Googled quinoa risotto and was excited to find a lot of different methods. I decided to add all my stock at once instead of the traditional method of adding a little at a time, because judging by the recipes I saw that did that, it turned into more of cream of wheat type texture; not what I was going for. They almost all had mushrooms, which I love, so I added that as well as some arugula for some greens and texture. It came out pretty darn amazing! I would definitely recommend trying this if you're looking for a healthier version of the traditional Italian risotto. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 oz package shiitake mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups baby arugula 
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Method:

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 more minutes or until the mushrooms are slightly browned. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Add in the quinoa, and stir it around to coat each grain with the butter and olive oil. Toast for about 2 minutes, just until it has a slightly nutty fragrance. Add the chicken stock, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer the quinoa mixture for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Add the arugula and the Parmesan; stir to combine.

Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and serve immediately.

Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad

I guess this is a pasta salad, maybe a pasta dish...I call it a salad because it's room temperature but you could in fact eat it hot. It is a nice change from a typical pasta salad with the roasted garlic and roasted tomatoes. I sprinkled in a little garlic powder in the end to get even more garlic flavor, but careful with this; I may have gone slightly overboard. I love garlic, so it was perfect for me, but could be a little much for others.

Ingredients:

• 12oz box penne or any short pasta 
• 4 plum tomatoes 
• 2 heads garlic
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 15 oz part skim ricotta
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup basil, finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oven to 400°. Slice the tomatoes into quarters, place on a baking sheet and coat with 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper. Slice the tops off the garlic heads and place cut side up onto a large square of foil. Drizzle with the additional 1 tbs olive oil, salt and pepper; seal the foil around the garlic heads tightly. Remove the tomatoes after about 30 minutes when they appear roasted. Continue cooking the garlic an additional 15 minutes until soft and fragrant. Let the garlic cool completely then squeeze the garlic out of each clove.

Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, greek yogurt, roasted garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Toss with pasta until well combined. Sprinkle in the basil and lightly toss again to incorporate. Serve slightly warm or chilled or hot or however you want to! :)

Banana Cookies

These are pretty much cookies at first, banana bread the 2nd day. When they come out of the oven they are like warm chocolate chip cookies. The next day, after they set a bit, they become a little soft, more like a bread then a cookie. These have a lot of moisture, so they would be great to freeze and pop out when you're ready to eat them. If you don't freeze them, make sure to eat them within a couple of days. 

The best part about this recipe besides it being super healthy and easy, is you can switch it up any way you like. You can add chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, etc. There is no added sugar, butter or flour! Just good ol' bananas and oats. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 large bananas (ripe works best)
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• chocolate chips (optional) 

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°

In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add the oats and chocolate chips; stir until combined. 

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper (these will stick!) and scoop 1 tablespoon of the "batter" onto the sheet. It should make approximately 16 cookies. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Enjoy right away or freeze for later. Easy peasy! 

Carrot Chips

Simplicity; something that is not so simple to come by. We are always so busy with work and life obligations, it seems as if nothing is simple anymore. It used to be, right? 

Looking back now, everything a few years ago seemed so simple, but at the time, it did not. Life is funny that way. Sneaky little bastard. 

What CAN be simple in life is cooking and the food you consume. You don't need to make crazy complicated recipes to eat healthy and feel accomplished in the kitchen. This is my favorite example of a simple, but healthy and delicious snack. This isn't so much of a recipe as an idea. There are a million different ways you can change this up. Different veggies, different seasonings, etc. 

I liked the carrots, but you need really larger ones in order to make the most of this veggie. They started out pretty large, then shrunk down to mini crisps (almost like fries, which was nice!). If you are going to want to dip these in anything I would recommend using extra large carrots.

My first attempt at these, the carrots were so small they literally torched in the oven; and I mean charred, like black ash; not good eats. Next up for me to try is zucchini, I think those will be awesome! 

Ingredients:

• Carrots or whatever veg you want to use
• Salt and pepper 
• Cooking spray

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°

Slice carrots into thin strips using a mandolin or veggie peeler. The thinner the carrots, the crispier they'll get. 

Line a baking sheet with foil (unless you like to clean, then no need) and arrange carrot slices evenly, leaving just a little space in between each one to ensure crisp cooking. 

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until they look crispy enough. Keep an eye on these bad boys as they tend to burn super fast!

I only used one carrot, and ate them in about 2 minutes; sooo if you plan on wanting to eat these again later, make a bunch! :) 

Turkey Sausage Veggie Frittata

Happy Sunny Saturday! I haven't seen the sun in what feels like months! I was so happy to wake up to a little bit of Vitamin D this morning; feels so good! 

I was making this frittata in my head last night before bed, and was delighted it came out just as good as I had hoped. A frittata is such a wonderful, versatile dish. It's basically just a quiche without the crust. You can make it a thousand different ways and with any ingredients your heart desires. They are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Also very easy to throw together with whatever you may have on hand. Leftover veggies, meats and cheeses are all great accompaniments to the frittata. 

I have been watching what I eat very closely the last few weeks, so it's really important to me to make healthy but satisfying dishes. I also used my new favorite ingredient, pre-cooked turkey sausage crumbles. I have been using this on everything from breakfast tacos to mini pizzas. 1/4 of this quiche is only 3 WW+ points! 

Ingredients:

• 2 whole eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 3/4 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup turkey sausage crumbles
• 1/2 cup 2% milk shredded cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• cooking spray

Method: 

Preheat oven to 350°

Spray a medium sized skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook for 1 minute. Add in the broccoli and red bell pepper; cook an additional 2-3 minutes just to soften the veggies.

While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper.

Spray a medium sized glass dish with cooking spray and sprinkle in the sausage crumbles. 

When veggies are cooked, transfer to the dish and top with the cheese. I used a mix of colby and monterey jack, but you can use whatever you have. Pour in the egg mixture and mix until everything is combined.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the eggs are set. Let cool slightly and cut into 4 slices. Serve with a side salad or if you're feeling indulgent, potatoes and toast :) 

One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

Buzzwords in the food world lately: Kale and Quinoa. I'm probably a million years behind on this health craze, but oh well! In case you have never had either, which I hadn't until a couple weeks ago, here is a tiny blurb:

Quinoa is Spanish and originated in Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia and Peru. It is a grain-like crop with edible seeds that are most commonly used here in the United States. 

Kale  is a form of cabbage and is also sometimes referred to as borecole. It is similar to collard greens and is most commonly seen in soups, particularly Italian types. 

It's funny because this dish has been a buzz lately around my office. I got the recipe from Dana, my co-worker, and ever since everyone has been making it! I opened the fridge to heat some up today and noticed 2 other containers filled with the same dish :) 

This is a super easy and super healthy one pot meal. Both of these things are "superfoods," which makes this a fantastic option if you're watching what you're eating or simply just trying to get a healthy dose of vitamins! 

Onto the recipe! I adjusted this one a bit from Food 52.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 1 bunch kale, washed and chopped
• 1 lemon zested, and half juiced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 scallions, minced
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Method:

In a medium to large sauce-pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Once boiling, add the quinoa and cover. Let cook for 10 minutes on a low simmer. Top with the kale and cook 5 more minutes (do not stir in the kale). Turn off the heat and let steam for 5 additional minutes. 

While the kale and quinoa cook, mix together the lemon zest, juice of half the lemon, olive oil, scallions and pine nuts in a large bowl.

Check the kale and quinoa at the end of cooking time to make sure all of the stock is absorbed and the quinoa is tender but firm. The kale should be tender and bright green. Transfer the kale and quinoa mixture to the bowl with the "dressing." Toss to combine all the ingredients. Top with goat cheese and lightly toss again. 

Sprinkle with additional goat cheese if desired to serve!