Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 2 pounds asparagus

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted if you feel like you have time)

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast)

• 1 pound spiral pasta

• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced (optional, delicious)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus (don't cut them into bite-size pieces, you'll see why in a sec). Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the asparagus spears. Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Without emptying the water from the pot, lift out the asparagus spears and place them in a colander. Rinse with cool water.

2. Bring the water back to a boil. Add salt, if needed, and add pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, and drain and rinse the pasta with cool water. Put into a serving bowl.

3. Place the asparagus on a cutting board. Trim off the top 3 inches of the asparagus spears, and put the tips into the bowl with the pasta. Cut the bottoms into several pieces, and set aside to use in the pesto sauce.

4. Use a food processor to make the pesto: With the processor running, drop in the garlic cloves and allow them to chop. Add 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and pulse to chop. Add the lemon juice, basil, salt, cheese, and the asparagus pieces (not the tips!) along with 3-6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. (Start with 3 tbsp. water and add more as needed.) Puree until smooth.

5. Toss the pasta, asparagus tips, and tomatoes (if using) with the pesto, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts.

6. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Original recipe: Fat Free Vegan

Posted by Jasmine

Green Chicken Enchiladas

 Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning (Emilee's conversion: 1/4 cup)
• 3 cups mozzarella, shredded
• 3 cups Monterey jack, shredded
• 1 cup sour cream
• 10 10" corn tortillas (or more)
• 1 28-oz can green enchilada sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, 2 cups of the mozzarella and 2 cups of the Monterey jack cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning. Mix until well incorporated.
3. Wrap tortillas in a damp paper or tea towel and microwave for 1 minute.
4. Scoop ⅓ cup of the enchilada filling into the tortilla and roll tightly. Arrange (seam side down) in a 9X13 baking dish and repeat with remaining tortillas. 
   TIP: Spread some enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish first to prevent the tortillas from sticking.
5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the prepared enchiladas followed by the remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.

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Original Recipe: The Modern Proper

Posted by Emilee

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Nachos

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted sweet potatoes:

• 1 to 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups cubed)
• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For the beans:

• 2 tablespoons Sofrita sauce (in the Mexican aisle, in jars)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Apple cider vinegar or water, as needed

For the Cheese Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1.5 cups shredded sharp Cheddar

To serve:

• Tortilla chips
• Tomatillo salsa verde, homemade or store-bought
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
• Chopped tomatoes
• Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Lime wedges
• Whatever else you want

  

METHOD

1. Roast the sweet potatoes: 
1. Preheat oven to 425F. 
2. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Spread on a baking sheet in an even layer. 
3. Bake 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip and stir the sweet potatoes. Roast another 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes have puffed up and have crisp, roasted edges.
2. Make the cheese sauce: 
1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot. 
2. Add the flour, and heat and whisk the butter and flour together until they become bubbly and foamy. Continue to cook and whisk the bubbly mixture for about 60 seconds. 
3. Whisk the milk into the flour and butter mixture. Turn the heat up slightly and allow the milk to come to a simmer while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the mixture will thicken. 
4. Once it's thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, until melted into the sauce. If needed, place the pot over a low flame to help the cheese melt.
3. Heat the black beans: 
1. Mix Sofrito and beans, then nuke them in the microwave until warm
4. Serve the nachos: 
1. Make a bed of chips, top with cheese sauce, then whatever toppings you wish.

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Original recipe: Simply Recipes and Budget Bytes

Posted by Jasmine

The Best Broccoli of Your Life (This is most certainly true)

 Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli, cut into large florets
• 5 Tbs olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced**
• 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lemon (optional)
• 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Toss broccoli pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay out on a cookie sheet
3. Sprinkle garlic cloves and Parmesan cheese.
4. Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”
5. When it’s done, take it out of the oven, zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts and Basil ***

** I just grab a glop out of my giant jar of minced garlic that I have at all times - life's too short

*** I never put the pine nuts and basil, and I usually just sprinkle lemon juice instead of zesting, because who remembers to buy a lemon? Not me.  It's still extremely good

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Original recipe: Amateur Gourmet

Posted by Jasmine

Creamy Polenta with Roasted Corn and Fresh Sage

Ingredients

• 2 ears corn
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cornmeal
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cut kernels from corn and Sauté on the stove with butter and sage
2. In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onions; reduce heat to low and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in water and milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly stir in cornmeal, whisking thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking and burning. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 15 minutes more.
4. When mixture is thick and the cornmeal is tender, stir in corn, sage and Parmesan cheese. 

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Original recipe: All Recipes

Posted by Jasmine