Orzo Arugula Lemon Salad

This salad has so many ingredients I love! The flavor is fresh and delicious. Sometimes I make it and keep it in the fridge, munching on it theoughout the week for lunch while other times it can make a great dinner! 

Ingredients 

1 box Orzo

1 lemon (juice and zest)

1 block feta cheese

2 cups chopped arugula

1/2 or more to taste toasted pine nuts

tsp salt

2 TBSP olive oil

Cook orzo, set aside and cool by running cold water over it. Once trained place in a large bowl. Add in the juice of one large lemon and the zest of one large lemon, the olive oil and the salt and toss with a fork. Next, add in chopped arugula , crumbled feta and toasted pinenuts that have cooled completely and toss together. Place in the refrigerator so all of the flavors come together.



Vegan Mac and Cheese

OK I know you’re skeptical and so was I but listen if you’re looking to get a carb fix and want something that’s tasty this is a good alternative. I made it last night for myself well I made the full fat cheesy version for my family. It definitely was not the same but it was so much healthier and satisfy the craving I was having. Try it once and let me know what you think. PS try dipping tortilla chips into cheesy dip, like a queso. 

Ingredients for the sauce:

Two medium yellow potatoes quartered

One large carrot peeled and diced into 1 inch chunks

One small yellow onion diced

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup raw cashew pieces

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Place all vegetables in a sauce pan and cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. One spoiled cover and reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables and place in a blender, add one and a half cups of the reserved liquid,Add the cashews and all seasoning and blend.

Poor cheesy sauce over already cooked macaroni noodles.

I like to toast some Panko breadcrumbs with some ghee and top the macaroni and cheese with the breadcrumbs. Yummy yummy yummy

Easy PEasy right?

Tortellini with basil and Parmesan

I love the Trader Joe’s basil pesto. I tossed my tortellini with a little bit of pesto 2 tablespoons of butter and I sprinkle and a half of a cup of freshly shaved Parmesan, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, half cup capers, half of a cup chopped basil leaves. Delicious !

Shrimp scampi over fettuccini

Ingredients

One package fettuccine pasta

 One lemon, zest the entire lemon and reserve half of the juice

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley chopped

1/2 cup basil chopped

1/2 cup swish chard chopped

12 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons ghee

20 shrimp, medium to large size

Cook the fettuccine and water, make sure to add salt to the water and cook as directed on package

In a large pan chop one yellow onion and sauté in olive oil and ghee. When the onion is translucent add in garlic and reduce heat from medium down to low. Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes until caramelized, then add Swiss chard and shrimp.Cook for a few minutes and then add herbs. Squeeze in the lemon juice, toss and cook until the shrimp are cooked through. Add in lemon zest, add in cooked pasta and toss. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Pasta

I absolutely LOVE this pasta dish! I use butternut squash and also bow tie past, because it is pretty. I also toss in some parmesan cheese before I serve it. Great to bring to pot lucks or even pic nice. It is good warm and also room temperature.

Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:8 minInactive Prep Time: — Cook Time:1 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (2-pound) butternut or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook’s Note)
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
Directions
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

Cook’s Note:
To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_456391_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback