My Favorite Pasta Dishes ~ Friday Five 10-19-2018

My Favorite Pasta Dishes ~ Friday Five 10-19-2018

by | Oct 19, 2018 | Favorites, Health, Home

Around this time of year, 3-4pm becomes the new “evening”.  Once night time hits around 5pm, it is hard to feel inspired to go out and do things.  Somehow, the earlier darkness and chilly weather encourages me to stay in.  I love utilizing this sort of ambiance to make flavorful one-pot meals like hearty soups or pasta dishes.  You already saw my five favorite soups in last week’s Friday Five.  Therefore, today, I bring you five of my favorite pasta dishes. 

Pasta is the ultimate comfort food.  Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike can find something to enjoy in the carbalicious entrée.  Even if you’re gluten-free (like I’ve recently become), there are pasta options for you!  My thing is to always include vegetables in a meal so it isn’t just a purely starchy meal.  The following pasta dishes are vegetable-filled and sure to be satisfying!    

Charred Tomato and Corn Pesto Pasta | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Charred Tomato and Corn Pesto Pasta

I can’t be the only one who still has cobs of corn and baskets of tomatoes to use up, right?  I love cooking with fresh herbs and this pasta is an excellent way to utilize them.  Pesto, corn, and tomatoes are a trifecta of deliciousness you must try!  I don’t consume dairy so I omit the cheese in the recipe but otherwise, I love everything about it!  The basil vinaigrette is dreamy makes this pasta ideal for a simple lunch or even a side dish!

Cast-iron skillet filled with Garlicky Spicy Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

Garlic Chili Roasted Cauliflower Pasta

I’m sure anyone who dabbles in plant-based cooking has heard of Minimalist Baker.  This pasta dish with roasted cauliflower is seemingly simple but incredibly flavorful!  Take my word for it and just roast double the amount of cauliflower.  Trust me, you’re going to want more of that tender and crispy veggie to pile onto your spaghetti.

pumpkin pasta

Easy Pumpkin Pasta

I’ve got to throw a mention to my good ol’ pumpkin pasta that I created last year.  I created the recipe last year for a competition with Banza pasta company but, of course, use whatever pasta brand you like.  The recipe is a perfect single serving but multiply as needed to feed more people!  I love enjoying pumpkin pasta with warmed spinach, oven-crisped kale, or even some sautéed yellow squash. 

One Pot Vegetable Penne Pasta

One-Pot Vegetable Penne Pasta

Jeanine from Love and Lemons is a queen at building pasta dishes around vegetables.  Her one-pot vegetable penne pasta is one of my most favorites because it includes leeks.  Yes, leeks!  If you haven’t cooked with these babies, they’re similar to onions—which I’m also wildly obsessed with adding to everything I cook.  Jeanine only uses the white part of a leek in this pasta but I often double the recipe and use the entire white and green parts of the leek!

Creamy (vegan!) butternut squash linguine with fried sage - cookieandkate.com

Creamy Butternut Squash Linguine

Butternut squash might be a little more accessible all-year round nowadays but it is fall produce.  I stockpile my butternut squashes until the following year: I’ll chop it into cubes and store it in freezer bags to use in the spring or summer if I so desire!  If you haven’t tried turning butternut squash into pasta sauce, you haven’t lived!  Okay, exaggeration aside, you’ll want to keep butternut squash on hand in your freezer like me just to make this pasta! 

michelle tanner pasta dishes

Now go enjoy yourselves some pasta dishes of your choosing!

Pasta is a creative base that can do no wrong in my book.  I’m always looking for new ideas to experiment with.  Feel free to tell me what your favorite pasta dishes are!

xoxo

Melanie

 

Easy Pumpkin Pasta – Single Serving

Easy Pumpkin Pasta – Single Serving

by | Oct 30, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

Y’all know I’m hardcore into pumpkin these days.  I just love my orange vegetables and fall produce is chock full of them.  Sweet potatoes, acorn squash, pumpkin, butternut squash—I like them all.   

Fun fact: at a recent doctor’s appointment, I was told that my skin color looked a bit orange.  The doctor asked if I drink a lot of carrot juice.  I haven’t had carrot juice in years but I do eat A LOT of orangey fruit and veg.  I tried abstaining from beta carotene rich plants for, like, a week and then luteal phase happened.  Soooo I’m in squash heaven right now and will get back to human civilization (aka skin color) sometime in the future. 

For now, we have pumpkin pasta to enjoy! 

Just like my Broccoli and Carrot Pasta with Parlsey-Cilantro Pesto, this pasta recipe is also adaptable.  I like using sage or thyme in this recipe but italian seasoning or curry powder would probably taste really good, as well! 

I served mine with some fresh salad greens (as shown) but try mixing in 2 handfuls of spinach!  The greens wilt slightly from the heat of the pasta and there is definitely enough pumpkin sauce to go around.  It’s super creamy without any milk!   

As a finishing touch, I like to toast some walnuts to add a bit of a savory crumble to the dish.  You could also just sprinkle more nutritional yeast or some hemp seeds to pump up the protein.  Whatever spin you take on this, let me know by tagging me on Instagram or leaving a comment down below.  I greatly value your feedback 🙂 

Recipe time!  

Pumpkin Pasta
Recipe Type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • A 2 or 3 oz serving of pasta
  • 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • Âź tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp ground sage or thyme
  • Âź to ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp toasted walnuts, for topping
Instructions
  1. Boil a serving of pasta (2 or 3 oz works) until al dente.
  2. In a bowl, mix up 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp ground sage, and salt (I like a scant 1/2 tsp).
  3. When pasta is cooked, reserve half a cup of water before draining.
  4. In the bowl, or the pot you boiled the pasta, add the pumpkin mixture to the pasta. Add 3-4 tbsp of reserved cooking water to create a saucey texture. And you’re finished!
  5. I like to add toasted walnuts to the top but this pasta also tastes delish with spinach mixed in. Feel free to sprinkle extra nutritional yeast, too 😉

This recipe is made in participation of the #Banzaplus5 recipe contest on Instagram.  See my other entry here.

Broccoli and Carrot Penne Pasta with Parsley-Cilantro Pesto

Broccoli and Carrot Penne Pasta with Parsley-Cilantro Pesto

by | Oct 23, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

If you glance into my fridge, you’re almost guaranteed to see a jar of pesto sitting on the top shelf.  I’m constantly making new jars of pesto and/or freezing pesto in an ice cube tray.  I buy lots of fresh herbs and, when my stock runs high, I’ll toss them into the food processor with some olive oil for pesto.   It’s perfect to have on hand for pasta, salads, and more!

I remember when I first started making pesto I thought it could only be made with basil leaves.  Boy, has my mind changed.  The classic basil pesto is delicious but I am equally enamored by my favorite parsley-cilantro pesto.   

Pesto is super versatile in the sense that you can use any greens you have (hey, kale pesto!).  Here are just a few things that make a difference for me when making pesto: 

  • An absolute must for me is toasting the nuts.  I know it’s an step you might want to be lazy and skip over.  Though, whether you buy raw or pre-roasted nuts, toasting them on the skillet before adding to pesto sauce is the ultimate flavor enhancer. 
  • Don’t skip out on the olive oil.  A good quality olive oil really MAKES the pesto.  Bad olive oil or all water in the pesto are not going to help it enhance your food. 
  • Salt is a must.  Taste as you go along but it’s better to have the pesto slightly salty than not enough salt.  The pesto gets mixed into the rest of your food so the saltiness won’t stay so concentrated. 

Onto the pasta recipe!   

Broccoli and Carrot Penne Pasta with Parsley Cilantro Pesto
Recipe Type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 2 oz of short cut pasta (I used penne)
  • 1 1/2 c chopped broccoli
  • 1/2 c chopped carrot
  • 3 heaping tbsp of homemade pesto (see notes)
  • Hemp seeds, for topping
  • Nutritional yeast, for topping
  • Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
  1. Boil water and add pasta.
  2. Once cooked, add chopped broccoli and carrots, plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.
  3. Drain pasta water. Stir in 3 tbsp pesto.
  4. Pour pasta into a bowl and top with a nice sprinkle of hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy! <img draggable=”false” data-mce-resize=”false” data-mce-placeholder=”1″ data-wp-emoji=”1″ class=”emoji” alt=”💁” src=”https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.3/svg/1f481.svg”>
Notes
Cilantro Parlsey Pesto Recipe:[br]2 cups of fresh cilantro and parsley (I do about 1 ½ cups cilantro, ½ cup parsley)[br]½ cup roasted/toasted mixed nuts (I used almonds and cashews)[br]1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil[br]1 tbsp lemon juice[br]2-4 tbsp water, as needed[br]1 small clove of garlic[br]Ÿ-½ tsp salt[br]Black pepper, to taste[br]A small pinch of red pepper flakes[br]Add all ingredients to a food processor and combine until a smooth paste forms. Thin it out with a few extra tablespoons of water or oil as needed.

This recipe was made as an entry into the #Banzaplus5 recipe contest on Instagram.  Feel free to use your favorite pasta!

May Pole Day and a Fresh Salad with Pasta and Fruit

May Pole Day and a Fresh Salad with Pasta and Fruit

by | May 1, 2017 | Health, Home, Recipes

Today is May 1st, AKA May Day.

Fresh and Fruity Iceberg Salad with Pasta for May

In elementary school, this day was a big deal for the kids because they would get to participate in the May Pole Dance.  Also, by kids, I mean me.  I got to participate in the May Pole Dance along with my entire third grade class.

I think it was a whole month in advance that we started practicing.  My teacher would take a break from lesson plans a few times a week and take us outside to the field to dance with ribbons.  I can’t exactly describe how the dance went but it looked something like this. Our parents and the community got notified of the event (because 8 year olds dancing around a pole to create a ribbon braid is considered an event for a small town like mine, mmkay?).  It was also a rite of passage for children.  As a youngling in school, I saw the older kids participate and looked forward to the day that I would be so privileged to participate in the acclaimed event.

Fresh and Fruity Iceberg Salad with Pasta for May

Oh, and you might be wondering what May Day is and the meaning behind the May Pole Dance.  Honestly, I only ever participated in May Day at that elementary school of mine so I don’t know the exact history.  I believe the dance is ceremonial and dates back to really old times in England.  These days, especially in the U.S., we tend not to follow such traditionalist practices so it I think it is less common.  The dance and celebration that occur are in honor of the start of summer and the new life that it brings.  Thus, I felt it appropriate to share the story as I mention that I am so very into fresh recipes for summer!

Fresh and Fruity Iceberg Salad with Pasta for May

The warm weather has me craving chilled salads, sweet and juicy produce, and ingredients that won’t weigh me down.  I called this dish a Fresh Salad with Pasta and Fruit because that’s what it is.  It also has all of my favorite ingredients from chicken salad but without chicken 🙂 I know apples aren’t technically considered summer fruit but they’re around all year long!  Some light and crisp lettuce, plus, crunchy celery, adds to the hydrating factor of this salad.  A very important factor if you’re dealing with hot temperatures like me.  #SoCal

As always, I made this recipe based on ingredients I had in my fridge but change it up to fit your needs.  Some darker leafy greens would work nicely instead of the iceberg.  Even try dried cherries instead of fresh grapes.

Have a happy month of May!

Fresh and Fruity Iceberg Salad with for May

Fresh Salad with Pasta and Fruit
Recipe Type: Lunch
Cuisine: Salad
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 salad
The warm weather has me craving chilled salads, sweet and juicy produce, and ingredients that won’t weigh me down. It’s kind of like a chicken salad but made vegetarian and I utilized what I had in my fridge. Feel free to change it up and sub in whatever greens you like.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of lettuce of choice (I only had iceberg but some kale, arugula, or romaine would be lovely!)
  • 3 oz of Banza penne pasta (or other short cut pasta)
  • 1 small-medium sized apple, chopped
  • 1 small stalk of celery (or half a large stalk), chopped
  • Âź cup of red grapes, chopped in halves
  • Extras: black olives, sliced in half, and chopped pecans
  • Dressing is: 2 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, and Âź tsp dried tarragon.
Instructions
  1. Set a pot of water on the stovetop to boil and cook the pasta for about 10 minutes or until desired doneness.
  2. In the meantime, chop up the veggies and fruit. Add all ingredients to a serving bowl.
  3. Drain the pasta water and let pasta cool for a minute before adding to the salad.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over all ingredients and enjoy!