Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta

It’s that time of year for fresh basil and tomatoes! This delicious dish is surprisingly ‘creamy’ and satisfying without the cream. Simple and fast for those summer evenings when we’d rather be outside!

Recipe

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup water

16 ounces uncooked spiraled pasta

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh diced tomatoes or 15 ounce can diced tomatoes

3 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped

2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 cup fresh chopped basil

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in boiling water in a large pot, strain when done. Blend the cashews and water in a blender and set aside. In another large pan cook the onions and garlic in oil. Add the cashew cream, tomatoes, spinach, yeast, basil, paste and oregano. Saute for a few minutes and add the pasta. Season with salt and pepper and serve with large green salad.

July 10, 2014

Coconut Chocolate Chips Cookies

These delicate, but rich cookies are just the right amount of coconut flavor and chocolate! Dairy free too!

Recipe

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup organic sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the coconut oil and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add the flours, soda and salt until just combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Place 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto pan with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

July 10, 2014

Chocolate Layered Mousse Cake

Remember the movie ‘Matilda’? This is that chocolate cake! It will cure any chocolate craving you may have for at least a few days! I always like to say “much too good for children” when I eat it! 😉 Seriously though, this is the richest, most decadent chocolate cake you will ever eat!

Recipe

Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

2/3 cups butter, softened

3 eggs

1 tablespoon coffee (optional)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream and coffee if using. Add flour mixture and then the boiling water. Mix until just combined. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Chocolate Mousse

2 cups semi or dark chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups whipping cream, divided

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup coffee

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place the chocolate chips in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process until finely ground. In a small pan heat the sugar and 1/3 cup cream over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and cream is just boiling. With food processor running, pour the cream over the chocolate and process until chocolate is melted. Add coffee and vanilla. beat the remaining cream and fold into chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Slice the two cakes horizontally and place chocolate mousse in between each layer (3 times). Leave the top to be iced with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment mix the sugar and cocoa. Add the whipping cream and vanilla and whisk on high until the icing becomes thick. Spread on the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least one hour. Can be made a day ahead.

July 9, 2014

Summer Fruit Crostata

I love summer because of all the good food I get to eat! Plums, peaches and blueberries make this ‘Barefoot Contessa’ rustic pie heavenly! You don’t have to be a professional pie maker to wow your guests!

Recipe

Pie Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold butter, diced

4-6 tablespoons ice water

Filling

2 pounds firm, ripe peaches, pealed, pitted and sliced

1 pound firm, ripe plums, pitted and sliced

1 pint blueberries

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, diced

In a food processor fitted with a blade pulse the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse the cold butter until it resembles small peas, 12-15 times. Slowly add the ice water through the feed tube, pulsing until the dough just comes together. Roll the dough into a disc shape and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In the meantime prepare the fruit in a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, orange zest and juice and gently toss to incorporate. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper (do not skip this step). Roll the pastry out into a large rectangular shape. Carefully place dough on the pan and then place the fruit mixture in the center of the pie crust leaving a 2-inch border. Gently wrap the outer edges on the crust over the fruit leaving the top open.

For the topping, use a pastry cutter or fingers to mix the butter, flour, sugar and salt until it resembles a coarse meal. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Cool and serve warm or room temp with vanilla ice cream.

May 20, 2014

Pesto, Broccoli and White Bean Pasta

I love this one pot dish! Filling and flavorful! Anytime you put a bean (legume) and grain together you get a complete protein making this vegetarian main dish all you need for dinner with a side salad!

Recipe

1 package of whole wheat angel hair pasta

16 oz. bottle of homemade or store bought pesto (I like Kirkland brand if I’m not making it myself)

4 cups frozen broccoli

15 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

Cook pasta in a large pot until almost cooked through. Add the broccoli for the last few minutes until slightly softened but still crisp. Drain and place back into the large pot. Add the pesto and beans. Check for seasonings and serve with a large green salad.

May 20, 2014

Sun-dried Tomato, Feta and Avocado Pasta

This is by far my favorite pasta salad! It’s full of so much flavor! Take this one to your next summer outing for a big hit!

Recipe

16 oz. package of penne or spiral pasta, cooked

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

sea salt and pepper

4-6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

16 oz. jar of sun-dried tomatoes with oil

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

Once the pasta is finished cooking and strained, place on large bowl. While still warm drizzle about 1/4 c. olive oil and 3 T. baslamic vinegar on top. Add the salt and pepper, garlic and red onion. Mix well and check for seasonings. Add the pepper, tomatoes, feta and parsley. Just before serving add the avocado and lemon. Serves 10-12 as a side.

May 1, 2014May 1, 2014

Fresh Herb Fruit Salad

This salad is to die for! Seriously, it is so good and simple! Take it to a party or eat all by yourself, it won’t go to waste!

Recipe

10 pounds of your favorite fruit such as:

pineapple

cantoloupe

kiwi

strawberries

raspberries

blueberries

blackberries

peaches

Dressing:

2 tablespoons raw honey

2 limes zested and juiced

1/4 cup fresh chopped peppermint, spearmint or lemon balm/verbena

Chop fruit into bite sized pieces and place in large bowl. Mix together the dressing and drizzle on top. Gently toss and serve immediately.

April 28, 2014April 30, 2014

Companion Planting: Where to Begin?

Companion Planting is so much fun! What is it you ask? Well, it’s been around for a really long time! The Romans and the Native Americans used this method of gardening with great success! Companion planting is simply planting your herbs and flowers with your vegetables. In the picture above I have multiple flowers that attract pollinators and herbs that I use in my kitchen! Isn’t it beautiful! This year I added cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and onions! There are multiple benefits that come from this. Because some pesky bugs don’t like certain herbs and veggies we can decrease the amount of bug problems in the garden. The bugs also get a little confused as to where all the cabbage is with all the other plants around it, so we can decrease the loss of plants to pests. We can also attract beneficial insects by planting beautiful flowers with our veggies increasing their yield in production. And finally because we aren’t dealing with pests we don’t have to use so many chemicals therefore keeping our garden organic!

If you’ve decided to give companion planting a try this year there are a few things you may want to think about. First make a plan. Think about what veggies you are going to use. What colors of flowers do you like? When choosing plants think about the height and space that is required for their needs. If planting in a container, use the taller plants in the middle. When planting in medium to large sized beds make sure the tall plants are in the back and the smaller, low growing plants are placed in the front. That way you will be able to see everything you’ve planted and nothing gets covered. Choose flowers that go well together. I really like bright orange or pink and deep purple together. Bright colored flowers will also attract beneficial insects increasing the yield of flower blossoms and veggies. Plant vegetables that like the shade under taller plants like lettuce and spinach. And finally it’s really important to know which herbs, flowers and vegetables make good families and who their friends are. Checkout this beginners list of family and friends below to get started!

The Tomato Family

Vegetables that are included in the tomato family are, Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant. Greens, including Lettuce, Beets, Spinach and Chard also do well with their friends list.

Friends: Basil, Cleome, Cosmos, Parsley, Queen-Anne’s Lace, Asters and onions/garlic (with greens)

The Potato Family

Vegetables that also benefit from the list of friends below besides Potatoes are Beans and Peas.

Friends: Calendula (pot marigold), Cosmos, Basil, Tarragon, Daises, Dill, Rosemary, Sweet Annie

The Cabbage Family

Cabbage family crops include, Broccoli, Kale, kohlrabi, Radishes, Turnips and Cauliflower. Other plants that go well with its friends are Lettuce and Root crops.

Friends: Asters, Calendula, Chamomile, Chrysanthemums, Cosmos, Dill, Marigolds, Zinnias, Parsley, Radishes, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme.

The Squash Family

Squash family crops include all Summer and Winter type squashes including Melons and Cucumbers. Vegetables outside of the family that benefit from the same friends are, corn and pole beans.

Friends: Borage, Dill, Nasturtiums, Sunflowers

The Root Family

This family includes Celery and Carrots. Greens and Onions, Leeks, Chives, Garlic also benefit from their friends too.

Friends: Caraway, Chamomile, Cleome, Cosmos, Dill, Fennel, Queen-Anne’s Lace, Poppies, Asters

The Perennial Family

Vegetables included in this family are Asparagus, Horseradish, Strawberries, Rhubarb and Raspberries.

Friends: Borage, Sweet Alyssum, Chives, Swan River Daises (for strawberries), Asters, Bee Balm, Black-Eyed Susan’s, Chamomile, Creeping Thyme, Lovage, Tansy, Yarrow (for horseradish), Cosmos, Dill, Hollyhocks, and Sweet Annie (for asparagus)

Some other plants not listed above that attract beneficial insects include:

Catnip, Anise, Chervil, Curry Plant, Fennel, Lavender, Rue, Spearmint/Peppermint (keep contained), Tansy, Bee Balm, Goldenrod, Pincushion Flowers, Echinacea (Cone Flowers), Rock Cress, Yarrow, Bachlor’s Button, Black-Eyed Susan, Blanket Flower, Coreopsis, Morning Glory, Gazania, Dandelion, Lamb’s Quarters, Wild Mustards.

For more information check out my favorite companion planting book called Great Garden Companions

April 4, 2014

Caprese Salad

Fresh, Simple, Beautiful and delicious!

Recipe

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, sliced

1 loaf soft mozzarella cheese, sliced

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

kosher sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Arrange the tomato, basil and cheese in rows as shown above. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar lightly over the rows and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

April 4, 2014

Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary and Chicken

This one pan meal is wonderful and very simple to make!

Recipe

Olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 medium beets, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4-6 Yukon gold potatoes, washed and chopped

2-4 organic chicken breasts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Place vegetables and chicken on a jelly roll pan. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle rosemary, salt and pepper over the veggies and chicken. Toss lightly so everything is coated. Roast in oven at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until veggies are tender and chicken is done. Serve warm.