Winter Pesto Pasta Bake with Shrimp

an Italian Christmas feast...

Some of my family came over yesterday to celebrate Christmas. We opened gifts, played games, and of course had lots of food. My husband is Italian, so naturally we served an Italian feast. He made his family's sauce, meatballs, and served it over rigatoni. I went a different direction and created this baked pasta dish. Both were well received by the fam, but I think most were pleasantly surprised by my dish.

I begin by making the pesto. I call this a winter pesto because I don't use basil (very summery) but instead use arugula and baby kale. I also use almonds instead of pine nuts. And, Romano in place of Parmesan Cheese (Romano is nuttier). The pesto is then mixed with cooked penne pasta, sun dried tomatoes, and raw shrimp. The whole dish is baked and ready to serve when you are. It was the perfect make ahead for a day like yesterday - one meant to be spent with family. Make this dish for yours, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Shallots, minced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
1 1/2 C Arugula
1 1/2 C Baby Kale
1/2 C Flat-Leaf Parsley
1/2 C Grated Romano Cheese, more for topping
1 (7 oz.) Jar Oil-Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped (reserve oil)
1 Box (14.5 oz) Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 lb. Raw Peeled & Deveined Shrimp, tails removed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil.

Begin by making the pesto: Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes in 1 T olive oil until soft and fragrant. Place in a food processor and add the almonds, arugula, kale, and parsley. Pulse a few times to combine.

Next, add the cheese and pulse a few more times. Scrape down the sides. Then, with the motor running pour in the reserved olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes. As needed, add more extra virgin olive oil to create a smooth pesto.

Once the water comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta. Cook for about 7 minutes, the pasta should be under done as it will finish cooking in the oven. Reserve 1/2 C of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Put the pasta back in the pot and add the pesto, chopped sun dried tomatoes, shrimp, and the cooking water. Stir together and ensure everything is coated well with the pesto.

Put the mixture into a large casserole dish and cover with foil. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove the foil and top with more Romano cheese. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the top is browned. Cool for about 5 minutes and then serve. Enjoy!

Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash

hash in a hurry...

It's Thanksgiving week and let's face it, we will all be cooking A LOT over the next few days. But, that doesn't mean it's the time to give up cooking yourself something healthy and tasty for dinner. This recipe is both of those things and it's quick to make.

This recipe is far from anything you will have for the Thanksgiving meal. It does have sweet potatoes, corn, onion, eggs, and nutmeg...some usual suspects of the holiday. But, all of these ingredients and more make up this one recipe. So, get prepped for the day and don't give up a healthy, easy dinner. Make this tonight, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled & cut into 1" cubes
1 Medium Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded & minced
2 Cloves Garlic, sliced
1 C Frozen Corn, thawed
1/2 Bunch Kale, stemmed & chopped
1 T Chili Powder
1/2 T Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Powder
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
4 Large Eggs
Garnish: Crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese & Chopped Cilantro

Directions
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

Add the sweet potatoes to the preheated pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Toss the sweet potatoes and add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then add the corn, spices, salt and pepper; toss. Wilt in the kale a little at a time. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Remove to a serving platter, or 4 plates. Keep warm.

Return the skillet to medium-high and add another tablespoon of oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place the eggs on top of the hash. Finish with the cheese and cilantro. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Ginger-Apple-Kale Juice

lean and green and made by a machine

When I chose to focus on kale for these 3 posts I wasn't sure what I was going to do for a dessert or drink. Either option sounded quite unpleasant to me. However, my husband reminded me that tons of people make juices from kale. Well, I've never been into juicing, nor have I had a desire really to make one (I like to chew my food). But, I though, let's try it...isn't that what this blog is about anyway?

After doing much research I decided that ginger and apple sounded the most appealing to pair with kale. Still odd, but perhaps the sweetness from the apples and zip from the ginger would wash out the flavor of the kale. And, really, that's what happens. This drink is full of vitamin k from the kale and provides a great boost in energy from the ginger. Try this juice when you are tired of the same old, same old. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4
2 C Kale (suggest curly), washed & dried
2 Green Apples, cored & chopped
2 Ribs Celery, chopped
1/2-1 inch Piece Fresh Ginger, peeled & chopped
1 C Apple Juice (light okay)
Ginger Beer (suggest Reed's)

Directions
Begin by removing the tough ribs from the kale, discard, and then roughly chop the leaves. Pack them into a blender until they reach the 2 cup mark.

To the blender add the apples, celery, ginger, and apple juice. Process until nearly smooth using the liquefy setting. You will have to help the blender at first by moving the ingredients around with a spoon. This will take about 5 minutes.

Once the mixture is nearly smooth remove it to a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl/measuring cup. I did this in batches to ensure I got all of the liquid out of the mixture. Use your spoon to press out as much liquid as possible from the solids; discard the solids. You will end up with about 2 cups of juice.

Evenly distribute the juice into 4, 8 oz. glasses (about a 1/2 cup each). Top with the ginger beer and enjoy!

Poor Man's Pasta (or Kale & Eggs)

a penny pinching pasta dinner

Steven introduced me to one of the least expensive meals ever. When we were at Miami together and needed to eat something on the cheap, we didn't grab take-out. We made a poor man's pasta dinner. This typically consisted of olive oil, dried herbs, pasta, and some cheese. It's a minimalists meal in every way and obviously not every nutritious, but it did the job of filling us up. To this day we still make this dish just because it's easy and we usually have everything on hand. So, in an effort to bump up the nutrition and still keep this cheap, I've created this kale and eggs version.

I've taken Steven's dirt-cheap dish and made it a little more healthy by adding kale and eggs. Both are very inexpensive items, but full of nutrition. These extra ingredients not only add flavor and texture, but will also help to keep you full longer. When you need a quick and filling meal, this is your go to. Comfort food and nutrition meet at the dinner table, make this tonight, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4

1 Bunch Kale (Curly or Dino ok) washed, dried, & roughly chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1 lb. Spaghetti (any long noodle)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
4 Large Eggs
1 C Shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions
Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.

As the water comes to a boil, heat a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add 2T olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion begins to brown slightly. Add in the kale. You will probably have to do this a little at a time, but it will wilt down to fit. After all of the kale is added, sprinkle in the nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir to combine and then transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

Once the water boils, salt, then drop the pasta. Work the noodles gently into the water - don't break them, please! Allow the pasta to cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the eggs. Return the large skillet to the stove. Heat on medium and add 1T olive oil. Once the oil is hot, crack the eggs, one at a time, into the skillet. Allow the eggs to cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta then return to the pot. Add the kale mixture, another 2-3T olive oil, and cheese. Mix well to combine.

Serve the pasta topped with an egg. Add an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired. This dish is far from poor in taste and it won't break the bank. Enjoy!

Salt & Vinegar Kale Chips

if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...

Everyone is crazy for kale. I've tried to stay out of this "food fad" for as long as possible, but a few weeks ago I finally made kale chips. They were good. I just made simple chips with olive oil and salt. I wanted to see what the texture would be like, how long to cook them, etc. And then I thought, how can I make these better? What are my favorite chips? That was a simple answer - salt & vinegar. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE salt and vinegar chips. Then I thought about kale and how good greens are with vinegar. I was sold!

These chips are salty and tangy, just what you would expect from a salt & vinegar potato chip. But, they melt in your mouth. Baking the kale draws out all of the liquid and leaves an airy "chip" behind. I marinate the greens in distilled white vinegar, allow that to dry on the chips, and then add oil and salt and bake. These are a great substitute for any meal served with chips. Try them with your dinner tonight, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4-6

1 Bunch Kale (Dinosaur or Curly okay)

1 C Distilled White Vinegar

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1 tsp. Kosher Salt (Sea Salt okay)

Directions

Prepare 2 (or 3) large baking sheets with parchment paper. Put cooling racks on top of the baking sheets. Set aside.

Wash and dry the kale really well. Make sure no water is left on the leaves. Remove the tough stem from each leaf and tear the kale into 2 inch pieces. Pour the vinegar into a shallow dish and add the kale pieces. Toss to coat evenly. Allow the kale to marinate in the vinegar for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Remove the kale to the prepared baking sheets, shaking off the excess vinegar. Be sure the kale is in a single layer. Allow the kale to dry completely. This will take about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees about 20 minutes before the kale is dry. Be sure to make room with your oven racks for 2-3 baking sheets.

Once the kale is dry, lightly spray with the olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle the salt over the kale and then bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip each chip over and rotate the baking sheets. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Check these often and as soon as they are dry remove them to a bowl or plate. Some chips will take longer than others. Serve immediately and join the kale crazy!