It’s almost summer and I’ve been procrastinating writing these parts a wee bit — the descriptions. I made this Spring Veggie Quiche a handful of times during May. I like making quiche crustless unless I’ll be able to consume it in all its glory within a day or two before the crust soggily breaks down. Making the quiche crustless results more like a large omelet, but it retains all of the flavor. Asparagus, zucchini, squash and tomatoes are abundant in the summer and spring. Roasting the veggies enhances all of their natural flavors to be juicy and tender. Tossing them into a quiche with sharp and pungent parmesan only makes things better.
Tag: cherry tomato
I Dare You to Not Love This Peanut Soup
When I was visiting Chicago, my cousins Betsy and Cole were raving about this recipe they shared — African Peanut Soup. Simplistically delicious and fairly hearty considering it’s just veggies (but some thinly sliced beef would be a yummy addition). I added some cherry tomatoes, Tuscan kale and quinoa. Happy Meatless Monday! Hope you enjoy this keeper that definitely something to savor.
Modern Take on the Classic Caprese
When I think of summer, I think of fresh garden vegetables and herbs. Growing up in Maine, we always had fresh basil growing which meant homemade pesto. Depending on the summer, we had tomatoes, peppers, green peppers, green beans, zucchini or maybe a combination of those. Fresh basil and tomatoes immediately makes me think of a caprese salad. Not sure about you, but raw tomatoes are very hit or miss for me. Cooked tomatoes I love. Raw? Ehhh. Depends on the day. Something about spaghetti squash as a pasta salad, fresh mozzarella, fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes all tossed with homemade pesto and chicken sounded absolutely irresistible. Well, it is. I’ve had it for lunch or dinner four days in a row. Don’t believe me? Try the Caprese Spaghetti Squash with Pesto Grilled Chicken for yourself.
Not Your Typical Beans & (Cauliflower) “Rice”
Real Simple hit the nail on the head. I saw this recipe and brilliant idea for an updated beans and rice and really wanted to try their take. Plus, I never had reasons to like steak and this seemed like it could be one. Steak, Beans & “Rice” with a Fresh Tomatillo Salsa. I swapped rice for cauliflower rice for a lighter take — super easy! Grab a mini food processor and you easy have salsa and cauliflower rice; two for one. (Quinoa would be a great substitute for rice as well.) I’ve never worked with tomatillos before let alone had one and now I can’t to have them again. The salsa is tart, light, but not too sour all in one. I added some cherry tomatoes to lighten the flavor and add some vibrancy. Grill the steak instead for a colorfully light summer dish. Pair with a Four Ingredient Margarita and you have a dinner sure to impress.
Continue reading “Not Your Typical Beans & (Cauliflower) “Rice””
Pasta & “Pasta” Pairings for Pumpkin Sauce
Ok, I promise — this is my last pumpkin recipe, but does it really count as new if I’ve previously posted this recipe? I love this Creamy Pumpkin Sauce; it’s quite easy to make and sure to impress. Maybe you’ve already exhausted that original spaghetti squash pairing idea or maybe you just have no idea what to do with the sauce in general or with its leftovers. Not a fan of spaghetti squash? Try these tortellini pairings below. Love spaghetti squash? Make the below recipes swapping tortellini for spaghetti squash. (Discover an easy way to cook spaghetti squash here.) Not a pasta fan? Just use sautéed kale and/or spinach as a substitute for anything pasta. No matter the way you choose to prepare this, you honestly can’t mess up because any combination is delicious. As a possible contender for holiday dishes or entertaining, here’s two options to transform any meal (pasta or not) using the creamy pumpkin sauce:
- Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Tortellini with Tuscan Kale, Browned Chicken & Roasted Purple Cauliflower
- Creamy Pumpkin Sauce Tortellini with Rosemary, Delicata Squash, Baby Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes
Continue reading “Pasta & “Pasta” Pairings for Pumpkin Sauce”
Holy Guacamole
Guacamole is an instant crowd-pleaser, and it’s so easy to make! This recipe allows the natural creaminess of the avocados to speak for itself without any added sour cream, yogurt or mayo; Homemade Guacamole smooth and rich enough as is. The fresh ingredients add enough flavor without overwhelming the guacamole as a whole. This pairs perfectly with your favorite salsa and some blue corn tortilla chips, multigrain tortilla chips or sweet potato chips. This fresh guacamole is so good, you’ll never spend money on that store-bought stuff again!
The “Give-Me-More” Zucchini Boats
These were absolutely delicious. I made these zucchini boats one summer at Holy Cross with my friend, Marjorie, and they had to be ressurected. In honor of summer and not knowing what to do with all those zucchini after the beginning of zucchini season, zucchini boats are a great and innovative recipe. They’re savory, fresh and a not-so-heavy of meal — a perfect summer dish even for those hot days. So serve them as an app, as a side or as a meal and have one (maybe two!) zucchini boats. No matter how they’re served, you’ll definitely want more!
Summertime Flatbread: Kale, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes
Now that my finals and my chapter at Cornell have come to a close, I have the chance to post some power meals in the making from this past week. Inspired by the Moosewood cookbook my mom gave me, I want to make some that would be both fresh and ready for summer. On my kale kick from the Kale Caesar Salad, I decided to indulge in a roasted vegetable flatbread, a perfect transition to warmer weather. Here’s the Kale, Asparagus & Cherry Tomato Flatbread.
Continue reading “Summertime Flatbread: Kale, Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes”