Penne with a Roasted Beet Sauce

Beets are one of those things that you either love or don't love.  I used to eat dirt as a kid, so I like beets.  They remind me of my grandpa's garden.  You know when you eat a freshly picked carrot right out of the garden, still full of dirt. It's a magical experience.  That's kind of what beets remind me of.  Okay I'm rambling.

I wanted to make something unique with beets because it seems like they are always the same ole, roast them with butter and serve as a side dish, boring...  This beet pasta sauce will jazz up your life and is perfectly pink for Valentines day!

On a side note, our grocery store always manages to be out of one thing on our list when we go.  This time it was beets.  Really? Ug... So I used canned.  I know I know, canned shouldn't even be in my vocabulary, but it was a last resort.  While this sauce was awesome and delicious, I don't advise using canned beets.  Use fresh and roast them.  The flavor will be amazing!

Penne with a Roasted Beet Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 8 oz box of organic penne noodles (avoid the gmo's, buy organic!)

3-4 medium sized beets

1 bulb of garlic

olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup of cream (I just used whole milk)

4 fresh mint leaves

4 fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Slice the beets and place them on an oiled baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  Slice the top of the garlic bulb off, drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap in tinfoil and roast alongside the beets. Let cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add penne noodles and a handful of salt.  Boil for about 10-15 minutes, until al dente. 

Place the cooled beets and garlic in a food processor with the mint and basil leaves.  Process until smooth adding vegetable broth as needed.  Transfer to a large saute pan and add cream and Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add the drained penne noodles and toss in sauce.  

Place on serving dish, garnish with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh mint leaves.  

NOTE:  While this was amazing, I think I'll make some changes next time.  I think I'll add about 2 oz of creamy goat cheese to the sauce to add a little zing.  I'll also add a couple of splashes of white wine to the pan and cook off.  YUM!  Can't wait to make this again with the changes! Enjoy!

Minty Pesto Pasta with Artichokes

I have a cat story.  Last week, I was home sick lying on the couch with my kitty Max.  We were watching an episode of Rachel Ray and she was cooking this chicken with pasta meal.  I was kind of dosing in and out, but I noticed Max was watching very intently.  He wouldn't take his eyes off the TV, even when I waved my hand in front of his face (yep, visualize).  I laughed and he watched.  Then a commercial came on and he glanced away and looked over at me.  When Rachel’s voice came back on the TV, he quickly stared up at the screen again!  It was so funny.  He watched the whole episode!  Since I didn't want to disturb his TV watching, I kept the show on and decided to recreate what I learned, in a way. 

Rachel made this to go with Chicken; I just made it as a vegetarian pasta dish.  I was kind of weary about using mint in a pesto, and I probably would have bought basil at the store anyway, but since we already had mint in the fridge, I decided to give it a try.  Man this pesto was delicious! There is a subtle hint of mint flavor, but it’s not over powering.  It reminded me of Greek flavors so I think next time I make this, I might add some kalamata olives too!  So much flavor.  Enjoy!

Minty Pesto Pasta with Artichokes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

1 pkg small baby spinach

1/4 cup mint leaves

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup toasted almonds

1/4 cup olive oil

1 can of artichoke hearts (not marinated in anything)

1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 pkg linguine noodles

1 cup starchy pasta water

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add noodles.

In a large saute pan, add the artichokes and cook until liquids are released and they start to brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the roasted red pepper.  

Meanwhile, to make the pesto, combine spinach, mint, garlic, and almonds in a food processor, slowly drizzle the olive oil in.  Pour pesto into the saute pan with artichokes.  Turn heat off and let the pesto simmer for about a minute just so the garlic releases its flavors.  Transfer the noodles to the saute pan with the sauce and toss. Slowly add starchy pasta water to help coat the pasta. 

Pour pasta into serving dishes and grate Parmesan cheese over the top.

Eggnog French Toast

Well I'm a little out of season for this post.  We did make it after Christmas when organic eggnog was on sale for 25 cents a carton.  That was pretty awesome.  We didn't even need eggnog, but if you see something in the organic section of the grocery store for 25 cents, you buy it.  No matter what.  This was delicious.  It's definitely something to make the guests for a holiday breakfast.

Eggnog French Toast

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 loaf of Challah bread (we also used Ciabatta the second time we made it)

4 eggs

1 cup organic eggnog

1 pinch cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

Directions:

Beat the eggs, stir in the eggnog, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Slice the loaf of bread and dip both sides into the egg mixture.  Cook on a griddle or in a fry pan over medium heat until toasty on both sides, maybe 3 minutes per side?  I never keep track, it's french toast. Enjoy!

Warm Quinoa Salad

Usually after a nice run, we eat pizza or something extremely unhealthy, which totally defeats the purpose of running in the first place.  Last week, we went for a nice run, then ate this amazing Quinoa salad afterwards and felt healthy all night! (Well at least until 9:00 when we started craving chocolate)  It's super filling and actually a great thing to bring for lunch to keep you going all day.

Warm Quinoa Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 tsp coconut oil

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbs grapeseed oil

20 fresh brussels sprouts, sliced (I slice them thinly so the leave separate)

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup almonds, toasted

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

*1/2 cup cubed organic tofu, optional

Dressing:

1 tbs grapeseed oil

1 tbs lemon juice (I just used the bottled stuff because I didn't have a lemon, but next time I'll use a fresh lemon and zest!)

2 tbs pure maple syrup

* The tofu is totally optional, but I used it to make it feel more like a meal rather than a side dish.  I tried a new trick for my tofu this time. I pressed all the water out with dish towels for about 20 minutes, then baked it at 350 for about 20 minutes, then I put it in the fridge overnight with some paper towels to soak up any extra liquid.  Then take it out of the fridge and just cube up and add it.  It cuts a lot of time out of the cooking process when you prepare it ahead of time, and the texture is extra "meaty."

Directions:

Toast the quinoa with coconut oil over medium heat about 3 minutes until quinoa begins to brown and pop.  Slowly add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cover.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. 

In a large saute pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium heat and add brussles sprouts and tofu.  Saute until sprouts begin to brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute about 2 more minutes. Add the cranberries, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.  Make sure to buy your nuts/seeds raw and toast them yourself over medium heat until golden brown.  It makes a world of difference, rather than buying already toasted nuts/seeds.  It only takes about 2 minutes to toast them yourself.

Add cooked quinoa and toss until mixed.  Mix the dressing, pour over top and toss to mix.  Add salt and pepper as desired.  Enjoy!

Fish Sticks!

I remember as a kid loving those boxed fish sticks.  They were easy and delicious and even an 8 year old could make them.  We dipped them in ketchup.  I don't think, to this day, I've ever bought tartar sauce.  Not that I'm against it, but when you're eating a meal like this, it's to remember the awesomeness of your childhood. I know that if I ate a boxed fish stick these days, I would be extremely disappointed because I remember them being delicious and amazing, but I was 8.

My goal, when I have kids, is to make everything homemade and not have processed foods in the house. (Yes mothers, I hear you snickering already) So I wanted to make these fish sticks so I could box them and freeze them myself.  They were quite delicious.   I definitely think kid worthy.  And pretty easy too!

Homemade Fish Sticks

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 fillets of white fish (we made these in Hawaii so we used some amazing fish, but Cod will work)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup flour

2 tbs olive oil

Directions:

Slice the fish into strips.  On 3 plates, assort the flour, egg, and panko into an assembly line. Dredge the fish in flour, dip in egg, and coat in panko bread crumbs.  Set aside until all the fish are breaded.  Lightly fry in a little oil until crispy.  I actually think I baked these, cause I don't see myself sitting over a hot pan of oil frying fish.  So to bake, place breaded on a well oiled baking sheet, spray the tops with olive oil and bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until fish sticks are crispy. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Found this photo while going through my Hawaii pics.  I remember these being quite amazing.  Anything with orzo, feta, and artichokes has to be amazing right?

Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers

1/2 cup orzo (should be in the pasta aisle)

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped

1 tbs olive oil

1 medium red onion

3 cups baby spinach

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tomato, chopped (can also use sun dried tomatos, but I didn't want to stop at the store)

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided (I'm sure I just used the whole tub)

1 tbs white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and pull out the seeds, leaving the stem attached. Place cut side down in a large oiled baking dish.  Place in the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes until peppers are softened.  

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add the orzo, cook until tender about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. 

Heat oil in a large skillet and add onion.  Cook about 4 minutes, then add the spinach and oregano and cook until spinach is wilted. Add artichokes and tomatoes and cook for about another minutes. Stir in the cooked orzo, 1/2 cup of feta, vinegar, salt and pepper. 

Add filling to the red peppers and top with remaining cheese. I put the peppers back into the oven to soften the cheese, but you can really just serve them like this.  Enjoy!

Potato Tacos!

I have been really slacking lately and I'm going to try and get better about it.  First off, I have a whole strew of photos on my camera of food that I haven't blogged and when I go to blog it, I can't remember how I made it!  Second, by the time I take my photos, I am just so ready to eat that I don't really spend much time on them.  But they don't need to look amazing, they just need to taste amazing... like these potato tacos!

Tacos are one of my favorite foods ever.  And I don't mean fast food tacos... I mean the real deal.  We don't eat much meat anymore so I've been trying to make different kinds of meatless tacos.  Actually, the meatless crumbles are really good in tacos too.  These potato tacos are just something different and delicious!  I was eating the leftovers at work for lunch and the ladies at work were drooling.

Potato Tacos!

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

5-6 baby red potatoes cut into about 1 inch cubes

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp chipotle chili powder

2 tbs olive oil (or oil of your choice)

1 cup refried beans (I cook pinto beans, smash them with some veggie broth, add cheese and call them refried beans... or you could just get canned)

2 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce

1 tomato, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 cup salsa 

8 corn tortillas (we used hard shell this time)

Directions:

Place the cubed potatoes in a large bowl and toss with spices and oil until coated.  Transfer them to an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. 

To assemble:

Place a scoop of the refried beans in the bottom of the shell, top with potatoes, tomatoes, onion, lettuce, yogurt, and salsa.  You can also add toppings that you prefer.  The yogurt goes so well with the potatoes, it's just ridiculous.  Enjoy!