This recipe uses pureed cashews to fake a cream sauce.
Mats - serves 4
1 recipe of Pasta Sauce
1 1/2 roasted, UNSALTED cashews
4 slices sourdough bread
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb pasta of choice. I use penne because it's easy to eat.
How-to
Soak the cashews in enough water to cover them for 2 hours, or overnight. This softens them so the sauce will be creamier, but you can skip this step if you're pressed for time.
Heat the pasta sauce in a small pot.
Add the soaked cashews to a food processor, then add 1/2c of the soaking water (or regular water if you didn't soak them). Blend until smooth. If the cashews are a bit chunky still, add water at 1/4c at a time until it's smooth as you can get it.
Prepare the pasta according to directions on the box.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Gouge the middle of the bread out and crumble it into crumbs. Add it to the melted butter.
Add the garlic powder to the breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often so your breadcrumbs don't burn.
While the pasta is cooking, add the pureed cashews to the warm pasta sauce, stir to combine, and heat through.
Drain the pasta, top with the warm sauce and sprinkle the garlic breadcrumbs on top. I also tossed some Parmesan cheese and sliced kalamata olives in there as well.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Fruit Tarts
This does not qualify as a 'healthy' meal by any stretch of the imagination, but it was so tasty I want to add it to my repertoire. Slightly time-consuming though.
Crust
1/2c butter, softened to room temperature
1/4c white sugar
1 1/2c flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Beat the butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and mix until lightly combined.
Add beaten egg and mix until smooth
Add flour in small increments, mixing gently until it forms a stiff dough.
Put the dough ball on a sheet of wax paper, flatten into a disc and freeze for 15 minutes
Press the dough into your tin of choice (I don't have a tart tin so I used little cupcake-sized holders. They were the kind you can bake without a separate tin, and they worked surprisingly well).
Prick the bottoms of the tart crust with a fork gently to keep it from puffing up.
Heat oven to 400, bake for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350, bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool COMPLETELY before filling otherwise your custard might curdle.
New, Improved, Gluten-Free Crust: when flour does not love the ones you love
2c almond flour
1/4c white sugar
1/8tsp salt
1/4c butter, softened
1 egg
1/4tsp vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients together
Cut in the soften butter and mix until loose crumbs form
Add the egg and vanilla, mix some more.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Same caveats apply in regards to cooling.
Custard
1 1/4c whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/4c white sugar
4Tbsp cornstarch
1tsp vanilla extract
I've found the key to the custard is to do all the prep steps first and MOVE QUICKLY. Measure everything out and have all the bowls ready to do the assembly process.
Beat the egg yolks. Add the sugar to the yolks and stir to combine. This should happen in a large, heatproof bowl.
At the same time, bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Use medium-low heat and keep an eye on it, stirring it as much as you can.
Add the cornstarch/flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and stir until it resembles a paste.
When the milk is starting to boil, remove the pan from heat and pour some of the hot milk into a measuring cup.
Very, very, VERY slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg paste, stirring all the time. We're talking add drops at a time and whisk like a maniac, scraping the sides of the bowl and trying to get all the egg incorporated.
When you've mixed about 3/4c of the hot milk into the egg, return all of the egg mixture and all the remaining milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil on the lowest possible heat setting.
Never stop whisking.
Add the vanilla extract.
Keep whisking.
When it starts to boil, let it boil for 45 seconds.
Keep whisking.. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as much as you can manage.
Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make the plastic wrap touch the top of the custard so a skin won't form. Refrigerate until you need to use it.
Glaze
Heat 1/4c jelly or jam in fruit of your choice with 1Tbsp water until the jelly goes back to being a liquid.
Assembling
Take the crust, spoon the cool custard on top of it, top with fruits that you like. I used berries. Avoid 'drippy' fruits like pineapple. Spoon the cooled glaze over top, cover again with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Crust
1/2c butter, softened to room temperature
1/4c white sugar
1 1/2c flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Beat the butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and mix until lightly combined.
Add beaten egg and mix until smooth
Add flour in small increments, mixing gently until it forms a stiff dough.
Put the dough ball on a sheet of wax paper, flatten into a disc and freeze for 15 minutes
Press the dough into your tin of choice (I don't have a tart tin so I used little cupcake-sized holders. They were the kind you can bake without a separate tin, and they worked surprisingly well).
Prick the bottoms of the tart crust with a fork gently to keep it from puffing up.
Heat oven to 400, bake for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350, bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool COMPLETELY before filling otherwise your custard might curdle.
New, Improved, Gluten-Free Crust: when flour does not love the ones you love
2c almond flour
1/4c white sugar
1/8tsp salt
1/4c butter, softened
1 egg
1/4tsp vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients together
Cut in the soften butter and mix until loose crumbs form
Add the egg and vanilla, mix some more.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Same caveats apply in regards to cooling.
Custard
1 1/4c whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/4c white sugar
4Tbsp cornstarch
1tsp vanilla extract
I've found the key to the custard is to do all the prep steps first and MOVE QUICKLY. Measure everything out and have all the bowls ready to do the assembly process.
Beat the egg yolks. Add the sugar to the yolks and stir to combine. This should happen in a large, heatproof bowl.
At the same time, bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Use medium-low heat and keep an eye on it, stirring it as much as you can.
Add the cornstarch/flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and stir until it resembles a paste.
When the milk is starting to boil, remove the pan from heat and pour some of the hot milk into a measuring cup.
Very, very, VERY slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg paste, stirring all the time. We're talking add drops at a time and whisk like a maniac, scraping the sides of the bowl and trying to get all the egg incorporated.
When you've mixed about 3/4c of the hot milk into the egg, return all of the egg mixture and all the remaining milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil on the lowest possible heat setting.
Never stop whisking.
Add the vanilla extract.
Keep whisking.
When it starts to boil, let it boil for 45 seconds.
Keep whisking.. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as much as you can manage.
Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make the plastic wrap touch the top of the custard so a skin won't form. Refrigerate until you need to use it.
Glaze
Heat 1/4c jelly or jam in fruit of your choice with 1Tbsp water until the jelly goes back to being a liquid.
Assembling
Take the crust, spoon the cool custard on top of it, top with fruits that you like. I used berries. Avoid 'drippy' fruits like pineapple. Spoon the cooled glaze over top, cover again with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Pasta "Alfredo"
Again, this is not a real alfredo recipe. Dairy and I do not get along well, but that doesn't mean I stop looking for delicious alternatives. And this is *miles* better than my previous attempt.
Mats:
1 lb spiral pasta - I used cavateppi
1 head cauliflower, florets removed from stem
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
2c almond milk
Optional tasty add-ins - I used sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives
How-To
Heat oven to 425. In a baking dish, toss the cauliflower florets, chopped onion and WHOLE garlic cloves in the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork.
When the veggies are done, blend with the almond milk in a food processor. You'll probably need to do it in two batches unless you have a really big machine. You want a very smooth consistency. If it's too chunky, add a bit more milk until you have a thick, but smooth, almost-paste.
While the sauce is processing, heat a big pot of water until boiling, then cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a big bowl.
Add the sauce and any add-ins to the pasta and stir
Mats:
1 lb spiral pasta - I used cavateppi
1 head cauliflower, florets removed from stem
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
2c almond milk
Optional tasty add-ins - I used sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives
How-To
Heat oven to 425. In a baking dish, toss the cauliflower florets, chopped onion and WHOLE garlic cloves in the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork.
When the veggies are done, blend with the almond milk in a food processor. You'll probably need to do it in two batches unless you have a really big machine. You want a very smooth consistency. If it's too chunky, add a bit more milk until you have a thick, but smooth, almost-paste.
While the sauce is processing, heat a big pot of water until boiling, then cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a big bowl.
Add the sauce and any add-ins to the pasta and stir
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Sweet Mustard Marinade
I did chicken in this marinade, as it's a good base to hold the flavors. White fish or shrimp would probably be nice too.
Mats:
1/2cup Dijon Mustard
1/4cup packed brown sugar
1/4cup red wine vinegar
1tsp dry mustard powder
1tsp salt
1tsp ground black pepper
6cloves garlic, crushed
How-to:
Combine all ingredients and mix until combined. I used a food processor so I didn't need to crush the garlic by hand.
Marinate meat of choice for at least 4 hours.
*This was enough marinade for 2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken thighs (because I needed to use them up). I cooked it by running 3 onions through my mandolin and lining a baking dish with them, then putting the chicken on top and dumping the marinade over it all. 45 minutes at 400 degrees and paired with broccoli.
Mats:
1/2cup Dijon Mustard
1/4cup packed brown sugar
1/4cup red wine vinegar
1tsp dry mustard powder
1tsp salt
1tsp ground black pepper
6cloves garlic, crushed
How-to:
Combine all ingredients and mix until combined. I used a food processor so I didn't need to crush the garlic by hand.
Marinate meat of choice for at least 4 hours.
*This was enough marinade for 2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken thighs (because I needed to use them up). I cooked it by running 3 onions through my mandolin and lining a baking dish with them, then putting the chicken on top and dumping the marinade over it all. 45 minutes at 400 degrees and paired with broccoli.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Salad with basil-feta pesto and shrimp
I used my very own garden-grown lettuce and basil for this one :) I also forgot to take a picture of it before I ate it... whoops
Mats:
4 cups lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized chunks
1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup raw walnuts
2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Feta cheese
1 can artichoke hearts
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
How-To
Dump the basil, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 artichoke heart, and both cheeses into a food processor. Run the food processor to combine, adding the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes as needed to get a smooth consistency.
Grill the shrimp at 375 for 3 minutes. I put them on my pannini press, so I did both sides at once. If you're doing it on a real grill, about 2 min, flip, then grill 1 more minute
Toss the lettuce with the shrimp, pesto, rest of the artichoke hearts, and halved tomatoes. Top with extra feta if you wish.
Mats:
4 cups lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized chunks
1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup raw walnuts
2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Feta cheese
1 can artichoke hearts
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
How-To
Dump the basil, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 artichoke heart, and both cheeses into a food processor. Run the food processor to combine, adding the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes as needed to get a smooth consistency.
Grill the shrimp at 375 for 3 minutes. I put them on my pannini press, so I did both sides at once. If you're doing it on a real grill, about 2 min, flip, then grill 1 more minute
Toss the lettuce with the shrimp, pesto, rest of the artichoke hearts, and halved tomatoes. Top with extra feta if you wish.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Salmon Chowder
One upon a time, I thought my husband was teasing me by telling me to get the Liquid Smoke out of the cabinet for him. Ha ha, I said, you can't fool me...
Mats:
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, cut into 1cm sized bits
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch bits
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch bits
2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch bits. This is about 1 lb.
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried dill
1 lb of salmon, bones and skin removed and cut into bits. You can either use fresh salmon and cut it up or canned salmon.
1 cup whole milk
2 caps Liquid Smoke, because it is a thing.
How-to:
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the flour and stir well to make a roux.
When the flour is making a sticky paste on the veggies, add the chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, pepper and dill.
Cover and boil for 20 minutes.
Turn the heat to low and add the milk, and salmon, stirring well. Heat the soup and keep stirring so the cheese melts.
Add the Liquid Smoke, stir, and serve.
Mats:
3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, cut into 1cm sized bits
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch bits
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch bits
2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch bits. This is about 1 lb.
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried dill
1 lb of salmon, bones and skin removed and cut into bits. You can either use fresh salmon and cut it up or canned salmon.
1 cup whole milk
2 caps Liquid Smoke, because it is a thing.
How-to:
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the flour and stir well to make a roux.
When the flour is making a sticky paste on the veggies, add the chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, pepper and dill.
Cover and boil for 20 minutes.
Turn the heat to low and add the milk, and salmon, stirring well. Heat the soup and keep stirring so the cheese melts.
Add the Liquid Smoke, stir, and serve.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Green Pasta Primavera
Springtime again! Start the season with some fresh veggies
Mats:
1/2cup pine nuts. Also called pignoli nuts
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp olive oil
8 cloves minced
2 medium leeks, sliced
1 lb broccoli raab, chopped into bite sized bits
1 cup peas
8 oz farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1/4c white wine
How-to
Heat a pot of water to boiling, add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or until done. When you drain the pasta, save 1/3c of the pasta water.
Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the toasted pine nuts to a food processor with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Blend on high until smooth.
Add the pine nut mixture to the reserved pasta water. Stir so the pine nut mixture is soupy
In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. The garlic should get nice and browned.
Add the sliced leek and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chopped broccoli raab and white wine, cook for 10 minutes. Stir halfway through
Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Turn off the heat, add the cooked pasta and stir so it's combined.
Pour the soupy pine nut mixture over top and mix well.
Mats:
1/2cup pine nuts. Also called pignoli nuts
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp olive oil
8 cloves minced
2 medium leeks, sliced
1 lb broccoli raab, chopped into bite sized bits
1 cup peas
8 oz farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1/4c white wine
How-to
Heat a pot of water to boiling, add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or until done. When you drain the pasta, save 1/3c of the pasta water.
Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the toasted pine nuts to a food processor with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Blend on high until smooth.
Add the pine nut mixture to the reserved pasta water. Stir so the pine nut mixture is soupy
In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. The garlic should get nice and browned.
Add the sliced leek and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chopped broccoli raab and white wine, cook for 10 minutes. Stir halfway through
Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Turn off the heat, add the cooked pasta and stir so it's combined.
Pour the soupy pine nut mixture over top and mix well.
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