Whole Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Spring Peas, Shallots, and Garlic in a Fresh Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette with Slivered Almonds, Fresh Parsley, Chives, and Mint

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 1 box Whole Wheat Medium Shell Pasta
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Shallots, finely chopped
• 1 lb. Asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 c. Spring Peas
• 1/2 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• Zest from 1 Lemon
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1 c. Mixed Herbs, chopped (I used parsley, chives, and mint)
• 1/2 c. Slivered Almonds
• Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, leaving around 1/2 cup of water in the pot
• Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large pan.  Add shallots and saute until soft and fragrant, 4-5 minutes
• Add asparagus and garlic, and saute 3-4 minutes
• Add peas and saute for another 2-3 minutes
• Add the vegetable mix to the pasta and stir over low heat until a "sauce" forms
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl
• Add the parmigiano-reggiano, lemon zest, lemon juice, rest of the olive oil, herbs, almonds, and spices and toss to coat

Penne with Sauteed Chicken, Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers, and Arugula

As the Healthy Summer Project continues, I wanted to make Brad something that would be super filling, but also something that could be eaten cold and was super fresh tasting.  This was so delicious I even ate some myself...and I HATE tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 boxes Whole Grain Penne
• 3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• Garlic Powder to taste
• 5 Chicken Breasts, cubed
• 3 Shallots, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 2 c. Grape Tomatoes, Halved
• 6 Campari Tomatoes, Quartered
• 1 c. Roasted Red Peppers, Roughly Chopped (I used jarred to save time)
• 2 c. Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
•  Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 5 oz. Fresh Arugula

Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and chill using cold water in a colander.  Transfer to a large bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar
• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium/high heat.  Sprinkle garlic powder over cubed chicken breasts and saute until cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. 

• Add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, basil, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and toss. Let the mixture cook for 8-10 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and form a "sauce" 

• Add the arugula to the pan and cook until it wilts.

• Add the tomato, pepper, and arugula mixture and the chicken to the pasta and toss to coat.

 

• Let cool on the counter for an hour
• Cover tightly and refrigerate

Easy Minestrone Soup!

Cold winter days are perfect for making homemade soups.  I decided on a hearty Minestrone soup, and the result was fantastic.  I adapted the recipe from a blog post I saw by Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 6 Baby Carrots, diced
• 2 Stalks of Celery, diced
• 2 Large Zucchini
• 1 c. Cut Green Beans (fresh or frozen)
• 28 oz. can of Diced Tomatoes in juice
• 4 c. Vegetable Broth (I used Greenway Organic)
• 2 c. Hot Water
• 15 oz. can Chick Peas (I used Goya Low Sodium)
• 1 c. Whole Wheat Elbow Mac
•  1/2 tsp. Dried Orgegano
• 1 tsp. Dried Basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large stock pot, saute onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes

Add Zucchini, Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes, Broth, and Water and Bring to a boil

Add Chick Peas, Macaroni, Oregano and Basil and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes.  Season if needed and serve!

Definitely a cure for a chilly day :)

Making Up For Lost Time...

It's been a couple days since I've updated, but there has not been a halt in my delicious kitchen experimentation.  And so, here is a recap of a few beauties over the last few days:

My first foray into the world of overnight oats was quite the success.  This heavenly breakfast consisted of 3/4 cup steel cut oats (you can use old fashioned oats as well, just don't use instant oats), 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tsp Truvia, lots of cinnamon, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1/2 cup jumbo raisins.  Simply mix all these ingredients together in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight (no cooking necessary!).  In the morning, pop it in the microwave to warm it up. 

Before the overnight stay in the fridge

Dinner a few nights ago consisted of 4 oz. baked salmon, which i covered with lemon juice, chopped garlic, and paprika.  I served it over brown rice cooked in low-sodium vegetable broth.  I <3 Omega 3s

Last night I baked my famous Mint Oreo Brownies.  Since they don't really fit in the healthy category (though I did use applesauce and egg white to make them), I will not post the recipe here, but will share a picture :o)

Tonight's dinner was simple, but delicious, and even better because it was mainly my favorite color (green!).  2 ounces of whole wheat thin spaghetti, topped with a mix of sauteed spinach, peas, and garlic, sauteed in a teaspoon of olive oil.

Made an extra batch for lunch tomorrow! Delish :o)