Simple Pesto Sauce

I have been getting good use out of my new food processor since I got it about a month ago.  One thing I have wanted to try has been a simple pesto sauce, but my blender just couldn't do the trick.  I had purchased a huge bunch of basil from our local farmers market and thought it was a perfect time to use that food processor for some fresh pesto sauce!  Combine this sauce with some brown rice pasta noodles and you have yourself a healthy, tasty dinner.  Enjoy!

Simple Pesto Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp walnuts (or any other nut you prefer)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup hand grated fresh parmesan cheese
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into a food processor.  Blend until mixture has reached smooth consistency.  Toss with fresh cooked brown rice pasta, topped with additional fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Roasted Red Pepper Zoodles

This is the first time I have ever tried to "fire roast" any vegetables.  It has always seemed pretty intimidating to me but I have a new found love for zoodles (zucchini noodles) and wanted to mix things up a bit. Turns out, "fire roasting" wasn't as difficult as it seems.  It is hard to find a nice pasta sauce that doesn't contain a ton of heavy cream and butter, both of which I am no longer eating.  This recipe gives you that thick constancy and is the perfect sauce for zoodles, spaghetti squash and I am dying to try it on brown rice noodles.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Zoodles

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 large red bell peppers
1/4 onion, roughly sliced
2 oz parmesan cheese (be sure to buy a block and hand grate the cheese to steer clear of nasty clumping agents that are put in pre shredded cheese)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper





For the zoodles:

2 large zucchini
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
Sea salt to taste

Additional grated parmesan cheese and parsley for topping

Set oven temperature to broil and move the top rack up, closer to the broiler flame, but not touching.  On a large cookie sheet or baking stone, place whole bell peppers on their side along with the sliced onion.  Allow to broil, turning peppers and onions so that the peppers are nicely blackened on each side and the onions are nicely golden.  Be sure to keep an eye on the veggies during this process as they can burn easily on broil.  Remove from oven and place peppers and onions in a sealed baggie.  Allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes.

While peppers and onions are cooling, melt 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil in a large pan, over medium heat.  Using a Veggetti, or other veggie spiral slicer, make noodles from the 2 large zucchini.  Add them to the pan with the coconut oil, along with garlic and sea salt to taste.  Allow zoodles to cook until they are soft, but not mushy.

When peppers and onions are cooled, remove the outer, waxy layer off of the peppers (it should come off fairly easy).  Add peppers, onions, grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, parsley, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper to a blender or food processor.  Puree until the mixture becomes desired constancy.  Add the sauce to the pan with the cooked zoodles.  Mix and allow to heat for 5 minutes to incorporate all the flavors.

Sunday Splurge.....Simple Lasagna

In my post about spaghetti squash lasagna, I mentioned that one of my favorite meals is lasagna.  Well tonight, my Sunday splurge was just that, lasagna!  Here is the delicious, easy recipe for those days when you want to enjoy a nice treat meal :). Enjoy!

Simple Lasagna

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 15oz container part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
3 cups pasta sauce (see my homemade recipe here)
1 cup water
12 oven ready lasagna noodles

Preheat the oven to 350*

In a medium pan, heat coconut oil on medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, add pasta sauce and water. Simmer for 5 minutes.

While mushrooms and sauce is cooking, combine 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta, parsley, egg and salt in a medium bowl.

In a 13x9 inch baking dish, put 1 cup pasta sauce. Add 3 lasagna noodles, followed by 1/3 of cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce. Repeat 2 more times. Finish with 3 noodles, remaining pasta sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes, removing foil after 45 minutes.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Curry Pumpkin Penne Pasta

I have been on a pumpkin kick lately.  Always happens around Halloween.  I buy everything in sight that is related to pumpkin or pumpkin spice.  I know there are a lot of pumpkinholics out there like me.  My love of pumpkin runs so deep, I thought, why not make a dinner that has pumpkin in it.  One thing that sounded like it would mesh well with pumpkin was curry.  I didn't used to be a fan of curry but it has grown on me over the past year.  This dish was delicious, and most importantly super easy and quick.  Enjoy!

Curry Pumpkin Penne Pasta

Ingredients

1 package brown rice penne pasta
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro and lightly salted pumpkin seeds for optional toppings

In a large pot, cook brown rice penne according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, in a large pan, heat coconut oil.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add pumpkin puree, almond milk, vegetable broth, curry powder, cumin and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 10 minutes to heat and incorporate all ingredients.

When pasta is done, drain and rinse the pasta (rinsing is important for brown rice pasta so it doesn't become sticky and clump together).  Add pasta back to pot it was cooked in.  Add curry pumpkin sauce to pasta and toss until pasta is well coated.  Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring often, to heat all ingredients.  Serve immediately, topped with cilantro and pumpkin seeds as desired.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

I've never made my own tomato sauce.  I usually buy the organic sauce in the jar from the grocery store to cut back on the time it would take to complete a recipe with homemade sauce.  Although I do buy the sauce in the jar, I haven't found one that I really love.

I decided last night I would try to make my own sauce and it was surprisingly easy.  Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients


1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
8 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and onions, sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add seasonings, cooking an additional minute to incorporate flavors.  Add quartered tomatoes and vegetable broth.  Simmer,  covered on low heat for an hour.  Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool.  Place sauce in blender and blend until it has reached desired consistency.  Use immediately or store up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a glass jar.  Delicious as a pasta sauce or pizza sauce!