Pasta with Kale Pesto

Our experiments with pesto continue. I found a delicious sounding recipe in Food Network magazine for broccoli rabe pesto, and decided to adapt it to use kale instead. The result is an unusual, deeply flavorful and cheesy dish that doesn't feel too heavy. It's almost like a lighter, greener macaroni and cheese. Absolutely fantastic. And it's great for those who don't really do the garlic thing, as there is plenty of flavor without any garlic whatsoever.

I can't emphasize enough that there are really no limits on pesto possibilities. I realize the photo above looks a lot like an arugula pesto pasta that I wrote about not too long ago, and yet it tastes completely different. Here we have kale, pistachios, and cheese, joining together to make a fantastic sauce. Pesto knows no bounds, really. And kale is so incredibly good for you; this is a great way to get it into your diet.

Pasta with Kale Pesto
adapted from Food Network Magazine
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 small bunch kale, stalks removed
1/4 cup shelled roasted unsalted pistachios
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt
2 tablespoons part skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound whole wheat elbows (or other small cut pasta)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a large bowl of salted iced water, as well. Blanch the kale in the boiling water for just about one minute, until bright green and pliable. Scoop it out and immerse it in the iced water to stop the cooking. (Don't dump out the water, and keep it on the heat at a boil).

2. Drain the kale and squeeze out any excess water. Coarsely chop it, and then puree in a food processor until finely ground up (like a dense paste). Add pistachios and parmesan and puree until fairly smooth. Season generously with salt. Add ricotta and puree until well combined.

3. Cook pasta in the pot that is already boiling from the kale. Cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain and return pasta to the pot.

4. Add the pesto to the pot along with enough of the pasta cooking water to loosen it up. Stir well until pasta is thoroughly coated with the pesto. Serve.

Enjoy!

Cantaloupe Mint Popsicles

As soon as the weather took a turn for the unbearably hot, I started craving popsicles. And I knew the popsicles would be infinitely better if theye were home made. One trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond and about $3 later, I had my very own popsicle molds.

That was about a month ago. I didn't get around to actually using them until tonight. I found the perfect guinea pig recipe in a cookbook I recently picked up, brought to you by the folks at Eating Well Magazine, Eating Well in Season. It's summer, cantaloupes are in season, and I happened to have one in the fridge thanks to my CSA bag. (And yes, I will probably mention my CSA in almost every entry, so brace yourselves).

The result is a sweet, but not syrupy, popsicle that is infinitely refreshing and delicious. It's like a frozen cocktail on a stick, sans alcohol. Run out and buy some $3 popsicle molds and make this right away. It will make you feel like a grown-up version of a kid again. Whatever that means.

Cantaloupe Mint Popsicles
adapted from Eating Well in Season
makes 4 popsicles

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 small cantaloupe, seeds removed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
juice of 1 small lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Scoop out flesh from the cantaloupe and puree in a food processor. Measure out just shy of 1 cup of puree and set aside in a bowl. (If you have extra, just drink it. Trust me.)

2. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and heat over high heat. When it comes to a boil, stir in mint and immediately remove from heat. Let sit for 1 minute.

3. Stir the mint syrup into the cantaloupe puree, and stir in lemon juice. Pour into four popsicle molds, insert sticks*, and freeze until completely solid, at least a few hours. Dip the molds into hot water briefly before removing the popsicles.

*depending on your type of molds - if the sticks are free-standing, let the popsicles freeze for about an hour before you insert the sticks.

Enjoy!

Grilled Steak with Fresh Corn Salad

Occasionally I stumble upon a recipe that I just know will be a home run with my husband. This is one of those recipes. What's not to like? It's the definitive summer meal - grilled steak alongside a salad filled with fresh summer produce, including grilled sweet corn. I believe the reaction you're having is something along the lines of 'Yum.'

The steak is really a no-brainer, brushed with a simple garlic marinade. The veggies don't need a lot of help if you get good ones. The bell pepper and corn came from my CSA bag, the cucumber from the farmers market, and the tomato from a friend's garden. It doesn't get any better than that.

Except to throw in the usual mention that yes, it's healthy!

Grilled Steak with Fresh Corn Salad
adapted from Eating Well magazine
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
2 small New York strip (or similar) steaks, trimmed
2 ears corn, husked
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat grill or grill-pan to high.

2. Combine garlic, 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Brush the mixture on both sides of the steaks. Place steaks and corn on the grill. Grill steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium (or to desired doneness). Let them rest while the corn finishes cooking. Grill the corn, turning to cook all sides, until some kernels are slightly charred, about 6 minutes total. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

3. Remove corn kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife. Combine with tomato, bell pepper, and cucumber in a medium bowl. Stir in vinegar, remaining teaspoon of oil, and a pinch of salt. Slice steaks and serve with the salad.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Roll-Ups

I don't eat eggplant very often. I have sort of a texture issue with it. But when I cook it myself, I tend to err on the side of under-cooking, and then I actually like it. Who knew - that mushiness is actually avoidable!

I got an eggplant in my last CSA bag, so I decided to try out a recipe I've had for a while and always wondered about. I lightened it up considerably, and the result is a fresh and simple dish that makes the most of quality summer produce.

If you're not a fan of ricotta cheese, you could try substituting mozzarella or some other type of cheese for the filling. But if you are a fan, I recommend sticking with the ricotta filling as it is heavenly and light. This is eggplant parmigiana's slimmer younger sister. Give her a try.

Eggplant Roll-Ups
adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices
salt and pepper
2 large eggs
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan
2 medium or 1 large tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season eggplant slices with salt and pepper. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Pour bread crumbs and about half the basil onto a large plate. Coat each slice of eggplant in egg, and then in the bread crumb-basil mixture.

2. Preheat oven to 350. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook eggplant until golden, 2 minutes on each side, using remaining tablespoon EVOO for second batch. Transfer eggplant to a paper-towel lined plate.

3. In a small bowl, combine ricotta and parmesan with remaining basil. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Assemble the roll-ups - put 1 to 2 tablespoons of ricotta mixture onto each eggplant slice and roll it up the best you can (if it's a bit too short, just fold it in half). Tuck the roll-ups together into a baking dish and bake until tender, about 10 minutes. Top with diced tomato and serve.

Enjoy!

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce (CEIMB)

It's Thursday, which means it's time for a CEIMB recipe! This one is not for the faint of heart, particularly with the tweaks I gave to it. It's spicy, zingy, and delicious, with a subtle richness to it at the same time. I thought it was remarkably flavorful. Ellie Krieger has proven, once again, that healthy does not equal boring. In case there were any of you out there who were still holding out.

Peanut butter and noodles don't seem like the most obvious combination, no matter how much Thai food you might eat. (And I eat a *lot* of Thai food). But when you thin out the peanut butter with lime juice, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, suddenly it's not just something you spread on your English muffin. It's a sauce, people. And you just made it in your trusty food processor in about 30 seconds.

I changed up the veggie profile a bit, focusing on the broccoli and adding in avocado as a garnish. It was good. Really, really good.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair
florets of 1 head of broccoli
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
juice of 1 small lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 scallion, cut into pieces
1/2 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small avocado, pitted and sliced for garnish
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, put broccoli in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

3. While everything is cooking, puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, brown sugar, and red pepper in a food processor until smooth.

4. Toss the pasta with most of the sauce, reserving about two tablespoons or so. Serve pasta topped with broccoli, drizzle with remaining sauce, and garnish with avocado slices and toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Chicken Breast with Mustard Sauce

I'm providing you with yet another chicken recipe that is incredibly easy and fast, yet tastes semi-gourmet. The sauce is the highlight of the dish, and takes about three minutes to prepare. If you serve it up with some lightly sauteed seasonal veggies, this can be a year-round weeknight dinner.

This sauce is tangy with a hint of sweetness from the honey, a whisper of wine and a bit of spice from grainy mustard. It thickens up quickly in the pan and dinner is ready in no time.

A couple of notes - I was generous with the chicken quantity here. Normally I take one large chicken breast half and cut it horizontally in half so we have two cutlets. Tonight I went the full monty and did two chicken breast halves. If you prefer to go lighter on the meat, just do one chicken breast half divided in two, but don't reduce the amount of the sauce.

Secondly, don't worry if a lot of the panko coating is lost in the pan while you're cooking the chicken - it will get picked up in the sauce and make it that much more delicious.

Chicken Breast with Mustard Sauce
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon good quality honey
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pound chicken to an even thickness and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in the panko to coat well. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and reduce heat to medium. Cook until chicken is golden on both sides and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side.

2. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add wine, broth, and honey to the pan and raise heat to bring to a boil. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Cook sauce until it reduces to about 1/3 cup, 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in mustard until dissolved into sauce. Spoon over chicken and serve.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Tabouli

My favorite part of most combination plates at Mediterranean restaurants is the tabouli. In case you don't swing the Mediterranean way, tabouli is a beautifully refreshing grain and herb salad. Traditionally the grain of choice is bulgur, which is healthful and delicious. Sometimes it's fun to mix it up a bit; and with a world of incredible whole grains out there, why wouldn't you? This is a quinoa-based tabouli recipe, and I can't claim not to be biased when I say that I prefer it to the traditional bulgur-based version. Quinoa is, after all, my favorite grain.

Everything else you know and love about tabouli is here - fresh parsley and mint, zesty lemon and spices, even cucumber, tomato and scallion. Feel free to add in toasted walnuts for an added layer of flavor and crunch. This is a great meal for a summer evening, since there is very little stove-work involved. Take advantage of the time that the grains are cooking to chop and prep the other ingredients.

Low maintenance, tasty and unique. This is another winner.

Quinoa Tabouli
adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch cinnamon
1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
2 scallions, finely minced
1 small or 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 small lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small to medium tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place quinoa in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a small saucepan, add water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes untouched. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside. Fluff again periodically while it cools.

2. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the spices, herbs, and remaining ingredients (except tomato), stirring just to combine. When the grains have cooled to room temperature, add them to the bowl and stir well with a fork. Add the tomato and stir gently.

3. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with toasted pita bread if desired, or just eat plain as a salad.

Enjoy!