I fell off the wagon this weekend, but not in the worst possible way. I definitely stayed away from meat and fish, but unfortunately, I stayed away from blogging too! However 16 in a row isn’t too shabby, so I guess I’m not THAT disappointed with myself that I didn’t blog all weekend. Friday was so jam packed full of work and play that I just didn’t have time. Saturday I spent all day trying to recover from Friday, and then Sunday it was just too cold to do anything but lay on the couch by the fire. So, today I will make up for it all by posting lots of recipes without lots of talking. For dinner last night I made my Spinach Pesto with Whole Wheat Pasta. Super yummy!
Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach Pesto
Ingredients
4 C Fresh Spinach
1 Bunch Fresh Basil
2 Tbsp Slivered Almonds
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
¼ C Parmesan Cheese
½-1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
TT Kosher Salt
TT Ground Black Pepper
½ Box Whole Wheat Spaghetti (any pasta will do, obviously)
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a handful of salt, and then add the noodles. Cook 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like it.
While pasta is cooking, add spinach, basil, almonds, and cheese to a food processor and pulse until ingredients are ground up. Then, turn on processor and slowly add the oil olive. Just add enough until the ingredients become ‘saucy’, not too wet, but also not dry.
Drain noodles and place back in pot. Before I add the pesto I pulse it a couple more times with the lemon juice, just to give it some zing. Add to pasta and fold in until all is incorporated, then serve!
Open Faced Garden Sandwich
Ingredients
1 Zucchini, Thinly Sliced
1 Summer Squash (yellow), Thinly Sliced
1 Red Onoin, Thinly Sliced
1/3 C Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
½ Red Bell Pepper, Julienned
EVOO
TT Kosher Salt
TT Black Pepper
4 Pita Bread Rounds
4 tsp Italian Dressings (Walden Farms)
¾ C Swiss Cheese, Shredded
Directions
Place vegetables on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Roast in a 450 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange vegetables on bread; drizzle with dressing. Top with cheese. Place on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat about 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4 servings.
*Nutrition Facts*
Serving Size Per Recipe: Calories - 269, Fat – 7, Sat Fat – 4g, Cholesterol – 20mg, Sodium – 453mg, Carbs – 38g, Fiber – 1g, Protein – 12g
Gazpacho Sandwich
Ingredients
½ 8oz French Baguette Loaf
¾ C Cherry Tomatoes (Yellow, Cherry or Grape), Quartered
¼ C Cucumber, Coarsely Chopped
2 Slices Red Onion, Separated into Rings
3 oz Mozzarella Cheese, Fresh and Cube
1 Tbsp Fresh Mint, Snipped
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp EVOO
TT Kosher Salt
TT White Pepper
½ C Basil Leaves, Fresh
Directions
Slice the half baguette vertically through the center. (You should have two 2-ounce mini baguettes). Cut a thin horizontal slice from the top of each portion. Use a knife to carefully remove bread from center of mini-baguettes, leaving 1/4-inch shells. Set aside. Reserve the center pieces of baguette for another use.
In a medium bowl combine quartered tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mozzarella, mint, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Line bottoms of baguettes with basil leaves. Fill lined baguettes with tomato mixture. Replace tops. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Makes 2 servings.
*Note*Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare sandwiches and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill for up to 12 hours.
*Nutrition Facts*
Servings Per Recipe (2 Servings): Calories – 237, Fat – 8g, Sat Fat – 3g, Cholesterol – 16mg, Sodium – 691mg, Carbs – 29g, Fiber – 3g, Protein – 12g, Vit A – 17%, Vit C – 42%, Ca – 24%, Fe – 14%
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