Crispy Kale Pasta Bake

Crispy Kale Pasta Bake
Vegan; Soy Free; Serves 4

This is adapted from Fig and Cherry. The first time I made this it came out really bland for my taste. Here I added poblano peppers and vegan Parmesan cheese. I omitted the cornflour and vegetable spread to make it lighter. Hope you all enjoy! My mom and I did.... Happy Eating!

1 1/2 cups shell pasta (or other small-shaped pasta)
1 bunch kale (or other leafy vegetable such as spinach or silverbeet)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups unsweetened hemp milk or non-dairy milk
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 small to medium poblano peppers, diced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1-2 teaspoons of chipotle cayenne vegan Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or as per packet instructions until almost al dente. You want it a little underdone because it will be heated again in the oven later on. Drain well and then place into a 1 1/2 quart ovenproof baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Destem the leaves of the kale. In a large skillet over medium heat kale, peppers, onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until just wilted (adding a Tablespoon of water at a time if needed). Transfer half the kale mixture to a mini food processor and add 1/3 cup hemp milk, mustard, pepper and chipotle cayenne vegan Parmesan cheese. Blitz for 30 seconds until finely chopped and smooth. Pour over the pasta in the baking dish and gently fold in the rest of the wilted kale mixture from the skillet. Slowly pour in the remaining hemp milk.

3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crunchy. Serve immediately.

Creamy Avocado Pasta "Sauce"

Creamy Avocado Pasta "Sauce"
Vegan; Gluten Free; Prep 10 minutes; Serves 4

Well, the first time I made this it was a tad too chunky... I made it again, last night, with a MUCH creamier texture. Here is the adapted version of the sauce recipe from Oh She Glows....

2 medium sized ripe avocado, pitted
1 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
2-3 garlic cloves, to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup of fresh mint
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste

1. Place all of the ingredients in food processor and process until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Pasta with Ricotta and Brussels Sprouts

Pasta with Ricotta and Brussels Sprouts
Vegan; 30 minutes

Bruce loved the balance between the earthy taste of the Brussels sprouts and the pasta. I loved the way this dish came together, putting leftovers and ingredients that needed to be used, while not tasting like that. The boys liked the pasta, but weren't fans of the Brussels sprouts.

1 pound pasta of your choice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 cup vegan parmesan
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup mix of rosemary, basil, and oregano
1 cup macadamia ricotta (recipe to follow)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1/2 cup of hemp milk

1. Marinade the Brussels Sprouts with garlic, salt and black pepper for 10 minutes.

2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook over high heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes and add the pine nuts until toasted.

3. Over medium heat, add the vegan parmesan, macadamia ricotta and rosemary mix. Toss to thoroughly combine, adding hemp milk. Season with crushed red pepper, and serve with additional parmesan.

Violife Mac 'N' Cheese

Violife Mac 'N' Cheese
Vegan; 23 cups

I made this as a side dish for the kids during Christmas... I know it was a hit, since a friends daughter had 5 cupcake servings. I added a tip to make this more adult friendly, but this is a perfect dish for kids and adults.....

3 cups non-dairy milk of choice- I used Hemp
2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
8 oz (1 bag) VioLife choice of cheese
3 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni or shells
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
pepper as desired
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
12-18 muffin liners and muffin pan

** To make adult, add 1 garlic clove minced, 1/4 onion, diced and 1/2 cup peas. Throw in some crushed red pepper to give a perfect kick.**

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cook pasta according to package directions

3. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of the milk over medium.

4. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup milk and cornstarch, whisk until smooth. Add the milk with the cornstarch to the milk on the stove and whisk. Continue to cook over medium. Add salt, celery salt, pepper and nutritional yeast.

5. Now add the Violife and stir. Allow Violife to melt and cook another 5 minuted to thicken. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. Mix well and spoon into lined muffin pan.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Leftovers: you can freeze these in freezer bags and pull a couple out as you need them.

Ravioli Fillings~ Just To Name A Few

Ravioli Fillings~ Just To Name A Few

The first one listed is what I used in the ravioli the other night. The nuts give it more of a meaty taste and feel. I made the sauce to go with the raviolis, but that will come after these....

Triple Nut Pesto:

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups mixed whole raw nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, and cashews
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

For the Triple Nut Pesto, use a food processor, combine garlic, hot pepper flakes, olive oil, nuts and mint. Pulse to make a smooth paste (a slightly coarse nut butter). Season with black pepper to taste and set aside.

I was able to sneak the second one past the boys in the calzones the other night. I would pair this with a tomato sauce....

"Ricotta" and Spinach:

1 8 oz. package of firm tofu (pressed-see tips in the blog)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of spinach, wilted

1. Mash the tofu with a fork and add the garlic. Set aside.

2. In a medium pan over high heat, wilt the spinach by adding a Tablespoon of water at a time. Continue to add water, so that the spinach doesn't stick to the pan and it has become wilted. About 5 minutes. Mix in with the "ricotta" and set aside.

Wild for Mushrooms:

1/2 lb. of mushrooms, mix between portobello, creminis and buttons (should make 1 cups when finely chopped, about 3 caps)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 leek, diced
1 Tablespoon of each almond/nutritional yeast mix (half nutritional yeast, half finely milled almonds)
2 Tablespoons parsley (fresh or dry works with this measurement)

1. In food processor, pulse mushrooms in batches until finely chopped-almost paste like.

2. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Add to mushrooms, ground almonds, nutritional yeast and parsley; let cool.

Basic Homemade Pasta

Basic Homemade Pasta
Vegan

I made these the other night, and Bruce LOVED them! The boys liked the raviolis, but did not like the sauce. The sky is the limit on these, since you can make whatever kind of filling and pair them with whatever kind of sauce. I'll post some different fillings and some different sauces following this recipe. I used a ravioli maker, so I cheated a bit.... Hope you enjoy! **UPDATE : I used this recipe in making my homemade tortellini which is in the picture**

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups semolina flour
3/4 cup of water
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil


Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes, adding more flour if sticky or more water if the dough won't hold together well. (You can also use a bread maker.)

2. Once you have kneaded it into a smooth ball, cover with plastic wrap in a slightly greased bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

3. Once your dough has rested, divide it in half or in quarters, for easier rolling and begin to roll each piece on a well floured surface. Continue rolling until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Once all the dough is rolled out, its time to start assembling them. You can go about this several different ways.

**The first way would be to lay out one sheet of pasta and place about 1/2 tsp of filling, two inches apart. Brush the first layer with water around the edges, then place another sheet of pasta on top and press down around the outside edges of the dough, to seal. Cut out each ravioli using a ravioli cutter or a pastry wheel.

**The second way would be to cheat and use a ravioli maker (I use this one). You basically do the same as above but using one of these helps to get each ravioli to the exact same size.

4. Place one piece of dough and fill each ravioli with filling of choice.

5. Brush the first layer with water around the edges and place the top layer over the bottom layer.

6. Press and seal the outside edges of the dough, using your fingers. Roll across the top dough to cut out. Flour the ravioli and set out to dry a little making sure to keep each ravioli separate from the others because if they touch they will stick like crazy.

7. Once done, place in a pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, 7-10 minutes. Remove and drain well.

To Serve - Place in a large bowl and add the sauce of your choice. Divide the raviolis among four plates.

Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls

Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls
Vegan; Makes about 24

I made these to go with some mushroom pasta that Bruce and picked up while shopping at the Farmers Market. I made a simple tomato sauce and garlic bread with a tofu feta and artichoke heart topping.

3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1 lb. Portobello mushroom caps (should make 2 cups when finely chopped, about 3 caps)
4 tsp. olive oil
1/2 leek, diced
1 vegan egg (EnerG egg replacer works great)
1 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup almond/nutritional yeast mix (half nutritional yeast, half finely milled almonds)
1/4 cup parsley (fresh or dry works with this measurement)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper


1. I had Bruce help me out and get the rice started for me in the rice maker. This gave me time to get the mushrooms started and the tofu feta for the side dish. In food processor, pulse mushrooms in batches until finely chopped-almost paste like.

2. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Add to bowl with rice; let cool.

3. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Add vegan egg, breadcrumbs, almond/nutritional yeast mix, parsley, and salt to cooled rice mixture and mix well. Form mixture into about 24 oval-shaped nuggets, each about 2 by 1.5 inches.

4. In clean large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat; tilt to coat bottom. Add half the nuggets and cook until browned on one side, about 2 mins, and sprinkle black pepper over the nuggets. Turn nuggets over onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets. Bake until nuggets are browned and firm, 15-20 mins.

Found and Adapted from: Vegetarian Times

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini Vegan Parmesan Crisps
Vegan; Serves 4

When I made these last week, I tossed them in a sun dried tomato pasta. To compliment both, I added artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes and as the sauce I made an olive oil, garlic and earth balance lemon sauce. Bruce loved it with the rosemary sourdough bread toasted with earth balance with some garlic powder.....

1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

2. Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

3. In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, vegan Parmesan, salt and pepper.

4. Place rounds in Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

5. Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe in The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

The Art of Composting.....

The Art of Composting….

When I was living in San Antonio, I had a composting pile that was really nutrient rich. It really didn't take long for the earth worms to find their way, and make it even better… My potted plants flourished from the compost, and my trash output went WAY down. It was a sad moment when I had to give the pile to Mother Nature, and move to Colorado.

Now that Bruce and I are settled, we've established a new composting pile that has had to be emptied out 3 times. This last time, I found the first earth worm and was really excited. Bruce had told me that he's never been successful at composting.

So here it is: a list of items that can be composted. Between this and recycling there is little to go into a landfill.

Of course here are the basics:

veggie/fruit food scraps (excluding onion and garlic-they can kill the good microbes)
cotton balls/q-tips (cardboard handle)
plant trimmings/fresh flowers/dried flowers
coffee grounds/tea bags
stale crackers/tortilla chips/potato chips
stale/moldy bread

Things that surprised me (that make sense):

insides of the vacuum bag/dryer lint
pencil shavings
paper muffin/cupcake liners
tofu/tempeh
toothpicks
fireplace ash
wine coorks (not plastic)

Things I had NO idea about:

cooked pasta
booze (wine/beer)
non-dairy/soy "milk-dairy"
dog food (dry)/rawhides
old masking tape
paper towels/napkins
toilet paper/paper towel rolls (shredded first)
pizza/cereal boxes (shredded first)

Make sure that you cover the "food" items with dirt, plant trimmings or the vacuum bag contents. You can attract flies or vermin; plus it will smell. Don't forget, if you use Method quick wipes, they are compost-able too... Happy composting!

Source: hometowndumpsterrental.com via compassionate on Pinterest

Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce
Vegan; 30 minutes or fewer; Serves 4

I made this last night, and it was a HUGE success! Grant and Max both had 2 servings, and Bruce liked that it was the lightest Alfredo sauce that he has ever had... This recipe is SUPER quick and VERY kid friendly! I guess this will be one of the few repeat recipes, since I try to keep it fresh for all of you....

12 oz fettuccine or pasta of your choice
2 cups hemp milk (or non-dairy)
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 Tbsp. Daiya mozzarella cheese shreds
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
ground black pepper, to taste
ground nutmeg, just a few pinches (to taste-no more then 1/8 tsp.)
2 cups vegetables of your choice (I used broccoli, mushrooms, yellow squash and sweet bell peppers) chopped and steamed

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Steam veggies together.

3. Place in a large nonstick sauté pan (I used my cast iron skillet) non-dairy milk and garlic. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add the Daiya cheese, continue cooking until the "cheese" melts and the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg and black pepper.

4. Stir in pasta and veggies, tossing gently and serve.

Low-Fat Pasta Salad

Low-Fat Pasta Salad
Makes 6-8 servings; Vegan

This is a great recipe to use what is in season and is a great dish to take to potlucks. I used summer/yellow squash and zucchini instead of the olives. Hope you enjoy! Sorry it's really late.....

1 1/2 cup whole wheat bowtie or corkscrew pasta, uncooked
1 cup broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red onion, diced
1 12-ounce can of water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans
2 tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool.

Lightly steam the broccoli, until just tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli, and remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Allow to marinate in the refrigerator one to two hours before serving. Toss again before serving.


Nutrition Information | Per serving (1/6 of recipe)

calories: 367; fat: 3 g; saturated fat: 0.6 g; calories from fat: 6.8%; cholesterol: 0mg; protein: 16.6 g; carbohydrate: 70.3 g; sugar: 8.1 g; fiber: 13.3 g; sodium: 553 mg; calcium: 112 mg; iron: 5.2 mg; vitamin C: 52 mg; beta-carotene: 837 mcg; vitamin E: 2 mg



Recipe from Food for Life instructor Kay Kitchens

Stuffed Shells with Lentil Ragout and Spinach

Stuffed Shells with Lentil Ragout and Spinach
Vegan

When my sister tried this recipe she really liked it. She omitted the lentils (which takes the place of ground beef), since she couldn't talk her mom (my step-mom) into trying the recipe with them. Just like my mom, sometimes you pick you battles. When you have a picky eater (myself included) you modify recipes to fit your tastes.... Happy eating everyone!

1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 medium-size onion, peeled but left intact, plus 1/2 onion minced
1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils
3 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 package jumbo pasta shells (about 20 pieces)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
2 1/2 cups tomato puree
1/4 tsp cayenne
Ground black pepper
4 cups spinach, washed thoroughly, stems removed and finely chopped
Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil with cinnamon stick and the intact 1/4 onion in a small saucepan. Add the lentils, cover and lower the heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes. Discard the cinnamon and onion. Add 1/2 tsp of the salt and stir.

2. In a large saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the shells and 2 teaspoons of the salt and cook for 12 minutes; the shells will still be a little tacky. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Untangle the shells to prevent sticking.

3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrot, celery, the minced 1/2 onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and thyme, allowing the wine to reduce for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cayenne, stir to combine, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Add the reamining 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper, and taste, adding more as you see fit. Discard the thyme sprig, if using fresh. Stir in the spinach, turn off the heat, and cover.

4. Heat the oven to 350F. Ladle a small amount of ragout into a square or rectangular baking dish. Line up the shells in dish, then with a small spoon, fill each shell with the ragout. Top off the shells with a ladleful of ragout, followed by cheese, if using. Bake for 30 minutes.

Found: Treehugger.com

Whole-Wheat Rotini with Wilted Mustard Greens

Whole-Wheat Rotini with Wilted Mustard Greens
Vegan; 30 minutes or fewer

“More mustard greens!” That’s what the VT staff asked for when they tasted the first version of this recipe. Now it’s an even better source of vitamins C and E. Canola oil offers omega-3s.

So, when I first tried this recipe I followed it to a "T". I didn't care for it as much as the way I modified it! Everything I put a star next to is how I modified the recipe.....

Green garlic is picked before it has a chance to mature, the flavor is not quite as over powering as the 4 gloves of "mature" garlic.

Ingredient List
Serves 4

1 1/2 lb. mustard greens, trimmed and coarsely chopped (9 cups)
**1/2 lb. whole-wheat rotini pasta (I used a tomato and basil based spaghetti)
1/4 cup canola oil
**4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (4 tsp.) (I used 1 green garlic with 1/2 the leaves)
**1 tomato, seeded and chopped
**Add some vegan Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add mustard greens, and blanch 3 minutes. Remove greens to colander with slotted spoon. Add rotini to 
water, and cook according to package directions.

2. Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add greens, increase heat to medium, and cook 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/4 cup cooking water. Stir pasta, tomatoes and reserved cooking water into mustard green mixture, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is hot and bubbly. Serve 1 cup pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 382, Protein: 12g, Total fat: 16g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 51g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 137mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugars: 5g

Found: Vegetarian Times

Linguine with Raw Nut Pesto and Tomato Sauce

Linguine with Raw Nut Pesto and Tomato Sauce
Serves 4; Vegan; 30-45 minutes

In this lightly spiced and aromatic pasta sauce, nuts are the meat of the matter.

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 pound (about 2 cups) canned whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pesto:

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups mixed whole raw nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, and pistachios
(I used cashews instead of pistachios)
3 to 4 fresh mint leaves
freshly ground black pepper

Linguine:

salt
1 pound linguine (I used garlic and parsley)
fresh mint leaves, for garnish
grated vegan Parmesan cheese

1. To make tomato sauce, use a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat to heat oil and saute onion and shallots until translucent. Add garlic and tomatoes with their juices, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered until most of the juices have evaporated, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pesto. (I only timed the sauce for 20 minutes. I kept most of the juice for the pesto-sauce.)

2. For the pesto, use a food processor, combine garlic, hot pepper flakes, olive oil, nuts and mint. Pulse to make a smooth paste (a slightly coarse nut butter). Season with black pepper to taste and set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente (firm to the bite). Set aside 1/2 cup pasta water (I skipped this ingredient), and drain pasta well. Return pasta to the warm pot and add pesto and tomato sauce. Toss well to coat, adding reserved water as needed to thin the sauce. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve with vegan Parmesan cheese.

Found in: The best of Vegan Cooking by Priscilla Feral (Friends of Animals)

Spinach & Pine Nut Pasta

Spinach & Pine Nut Pasta
Serves 4; Prep time: 20 min.; Cook time: 20 min.

Use fresh spinach for best results. Sprinkle with nutmeg for extra flavor.

8 oz. pasta shapes or spaghetti
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, quartered and sliced
3 large flat mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. spinach
2 tablespoons pine nuts
6 tablespoons dry white wine
salt & pepper
Parmesan shavings, to garnish (optional)

1.) Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until "al détente". Drain well.

2.) Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic and onion for 1 min.

3.) Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.) Add the spinach and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.

5.) Stir in the pine nuts and wine, season well with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.

6.) Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl and toss the sauce into it, mixing well. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan cheese and serve at once.

Found in: What's Cooking Vegetarian by: Jenny Stacey

Dairy-free Pesto with Spirali

Dairy-free Pesto with Spirali
Vegan; 30-45 minutes; Serves 4

11 oz new potatoes, cubed
5 oz/1 cup fine green beans, cut into thirds
8oz broccoli florets
13 oz/3 cups dried spirali pasta
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 oz/ 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
salt and freshly ground pepper

For the pesto

(This is my go to recipe when I need a great lighter version of a pesto recipe!)

1 oz/ 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 oz fresh mint leaves, torn
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon

1.) To make the pesto, puree the basil and mint, garlic mustard, pine nuts, oil and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Season and set aside.

2.) Cook the new potatoes in a large pan of salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Steam the green beans and broccoli for 3 minutes until they are tender.

3.) Cook the spirali in a large pan of salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta and reserved water to the pan. Add the precooked potatoes, beans, broccoli, pesto and seasoning, then stir until combined. Heat over a gentle heat for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.

Per Serving: prot. 18.5 grams; fat 22.7 grams; sat. fat 2.78 grams; carb. 88.4 grams; fiber 6.7 grams; iron 4.8 mg; calcium 101 mg.