Asparagus, Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad

Spring in Chicago is kind of terrible. I could really do without it. It's cold, it's rainy, and you get teased every other week with one really beautiful day that gives you hope that you can put away the parka and then next thing you know it's freezing again. This recipe for Asparagus, Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad is perfect for at least making you feel like real spring weather is around the corner. It has to be right???

 Asparagus, Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes

10 spears of asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp honey
bag of mixed greens
handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/2 cup hulled and sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp freshly crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss asparagus pieces with 1 tsp olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay out in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the remaining 2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and honey. Whisk until emulsified; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the mixed greens with the dressing, and then gently toss in the sliced strawberries, asparagus, and fresh basil. Top salad with feta crumbles.

Pasta with Eggplant and Garlic Thyme Breadcrumbs

Pasta always seems like an easy option for Friday night dinners during Lent. Brady came across this recipe for pasta with eggplant and garlic thyme breadcrumbs recently and we gave it a try last weekend. We eat tons of vegetables but I tend to forget about eggplant. I think it's partially due to the fact that eggplant requires a little prep work. I also try to avoid heavy groceries when it's just me doing the grocery shopping! This dish reminded me though how tasty eggplant is and that it's completely worth the extra 30 minutes to let it soak in salted water to get rid of any bitterness. Luckily, the rest of the steps in this recipe are simple and the end result is delicious!

Pasta with Eggplant and Garlic Thyme Breadcrumbs

Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. tomato puree
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
12.5 ounces whole wheat rigatoni or fusilli pasta
1 eggplant
1 T. capers
1 T. black olives, halved
basil
salt and pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Garlic Thyme Breadcrumbs
6 T. breadcrumbs
3 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp thyme

Preheat the broiler to HI.

Cut the eggplant into small cubes and put them in salted water for half an hour. After soaking, pat them dry and put them on a baking dish covered with a little cooking spray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and broil them for about 4-5 minutes, until golden and crisp. Set them aside.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, saute the garlic in a pan with 2 T. olive oil. Add the halved tomatoes, the tomato pure, a little salt and 3 T. of water. Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes on low. Add in the capers, olives and a little torn basil.  Add the baked eggplant cubes and mix well.

While the sauce is simmering and the pasta is cooking, combine the garlic thyme breadcrumb ingredients in a small bowl.

Before draining the pasta, put 2 T. pasta water in the tomato and eggplant sauce. Drain the remaining pasta water and then combine the pasta and eggplant sauce. Serve with grated cheese and the garlic thyme breadcrumbs on top. 

Kale and Farro Soup

Soup is one of my go-to weekday lunch options. I like to take the time to make a big pot of soup on Sunday and then portion the soup into individual containers. Early mornings always seem a little less chaotic when lunch is already packed. I am always looking for new soup recipes that are healthy yet filling. The below soup is delicious plus it's filled with nutrients- superfood kale, vitamin rich butternut squash, and farro which is high in protein.

Picture from TasteFood

Kale and Farro Soup
** adapted from TasteFood

Serves: 6
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 c. farro
6 c. chicken stock
2 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
1 (15oz) can Italian plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 to 3 cups coarsly chopped kale, stems removed
grated Parmesan, option

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the farro and stir to coat. Add the chicken stock, butternut squash, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, using the back of the spoon break up the tomatoes, and then simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the kale leaves. Serve with grated Parmesan.

** If making this for weekday lunches, I would suggest adding in a little more stock or water. The farro seemed to absorb a lot of the liquid over the course of the week.

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Ricotta Salata

Brady's sister made a delicious farro and butternut squash dish at Christmas from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  After the holidays, I went onto the Smitten Kitchen blog and came across what I think is the same recipe. If it's not the same, it is very similar. I have been on a quinoa kick for a while now but I am definitely going to start making more farro recipes. I loved the nutty flavor that it has and it's super quick to make. Not only was the farro salad perfect for a healthy yet hearty vegetarian dinner but it made for great leftovers to bring in my lunch all week.

Picture courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. I forgot to take a picture.

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Ricotta Salata
*** adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4-6
Prep/Cook Time:  1 hour

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into small cubes
4 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 c. quick cooking farro
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2 c. ricotta salata, crumbled (you could also use feta)
1 T. sherry vinegar
1 T. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 small red onion, finally chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the squash onto the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook farro according to the package directions. Drain and cool slightly.

While squash is roasting and the farro is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the sherry, water, salt, and sugar. Stir in the onion and cover and refrigerate until needed.

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked farro, roasted squash, walnuts, and ricotta salata. Add in the red onion mixture, including the liquid. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve warm or can be served cold later on in the week.

Summer Vegetable Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

While in San Diego a few months ago, Brady and I ate at Burger Lounge, a new burger chain in Southern California. Instead of a burger (which Brady had and loved), I had their vegetable salad which was awesome. I recreated the salad for my parents this past weekend and they loved it. It's simple, adaptable, and perfect for summer.

Summer Vegetable Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

lettuce mix- romaine, spinach and arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup sugar snap peas, halved on a diagonal
2 ears of corn, shucked and corn kernels removed with a knife
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
grated ricotta salata cheese

lemon basil vinaigrette
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
1/4 cup basil, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle with lemon basil vinaigrette.

Vegetable Enchiladas

Over Christmas, Brady and I ate at Good Earth, a restaurant in Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised by the restaurant. It's located inside the mall and the decor needs some updating but the food was great. The menu is full of healthy food that you aren't going to feel guilty about eating. I had vegetable enchiladas that were fabulous and I've been wanting to recreate them ever since. I used bits and pieces of different recipes to come up with the below recipe and honestly, these turned out just the way I remembered them. These enchiladas are so full of flavor and hearty even though they are meatless. I had never made my own enchilada sauce before and honestly I will never go back to canned- talk about easy to make and much more tasty!

** Sorry no picture, both of the pictures that I took turned out blurry. I'll spare the blurry photos and say the enchiladas looked even better than the ones you'd get at a restaurant. Luckily there is no photo to prove me wrong!

Vegetable Enchiladas

Serves: 4
Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
cooking spray
sour cream (oprional)

Enchilada Sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1  T. cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp sugar
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper







Preheat the oven to 450. In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Saute the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and tomatoes for about 5 minutes or until softened. In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, black beans, and corn.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and then cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the garlic, cayenne, cumin, and sugar. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the can of tomato sauce and a 1/2 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Spray a large 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Generously spoon enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish to thoroughly coat. Take a tortilla and fill it with a large spoonful of the vegetable mixture and place in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Spoon on more of the enchilada sauce, I would recommend using a lot so that the enchiladas don't dry out. Sprinkle the enchiladas with cheese and then bake for 20 minutes. To serve, garnish the enchiladas with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Sweet Potato and Sage Risotto

Last week Brady made sweet potato and sage risotto as a side dish and in my opinion it ended up being the star of the meal. The halibut that Brady made was great, but the risotto was so different than any I'd had before. I would have never thought of adding a dash of cayenne but it added so much flavor and strangely paired perfectly with the sweet potatoes and sage. I loved that the risotto tasted creamy and rich despite the fact that there isn't any butter or cheese in it. While the risotto has restaurant quality written all over it, the dish required minimal ingredients (and cheap one's at that) and was super simple to make. You really can't beat that! 

Sweet Potato and Sage Risotto

Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 c. Arborio rice
5 green onions, chopped
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bunch fresh sage
1 bay leaf
1/4 c. olive oil
2 1/2 c. water
2 c. skim milk
1 red onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic salt
2-3 dashes cayenne


Microwave sweet potatoes for about 2 minutes in a microwave-safe bowl. They should be slightly firm, not mushy. Meanwhile, roughly chop about 6 sage leaves and set aside.

Heat olive oil and 3 T. water in a large saucepan or saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic salt, the chopped red onion, most of the green onions, a little bit of chopped sage, and the sweet potatoes. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.


Add rice, cayenne, and a bit more sage. Cook for one minute, or until rice is slightly transparent. Add 1/2 cup milk and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup water and stir until absorbed. Repeat this process (alternate milk and water). Do not add the next portion of liquid until the previous liquid is absorbed. It is very important to stir and fold the rice mixture constantly. 


When all of the liquid has been added and absorbed your consistency should be similar to thick oatmeal. To serve garnish with remaining sage and chopped green onions.

Mushroom Ragu

Last winter I made a mushroom bolognese, it was good but the below recipe for mushroom ragu is even better. Brady made the mushroom ragu for us before Thanksgiving and we both absolutely loved it. I love that this is a hearty and filling dish yet it's meat free. This is a recipe that could easily be lightened and requires little ingredients. We served our ragu over whole wheat gnocchi but it would be terrific over any type of pasta.

Sorry, not the best photo but I promise it tastes good!

Mushroom Ragu
** from Food Network, recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (this could be decreased)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped
1/2 c. Marsala
2 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. heavy cream (you could substitute half and half)
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 c. flat parsley, chopped
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions have softened, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and saute until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from heat and pour in Marsala. Return pan to stove and allow wine to evaporate, about 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add the cream and mix well. Take the pan off the heat add the fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Vegetarian Pizza

I love a good vegetarian pizza. However, I haven't had the best of luck making my own in the past. I am not sure if it was the combination of vegetables I used or how I prepared them but my attempts at vegetarian pizza always seem to be a bit disappointing. Until now that is, Brady and I made a vegetarian pizza on Friday night that was awesome. It easily ranks right up there with my favorite pizza recipe for Sausage and Fig Pizza.  I loved the combination of the peppers and fresh basil and I thought the goat cheese was a great addition.

Vegetarian Pizza
** adapted from Food Network Magazine
print recipe

Serves 4
Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1 orange pepper, cut into thin strips
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
3 cloves garlic; 1 minced, 2 sliced
2 T. olive oil
favorite pizza dough

6 ounces mozzarella cheese,shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 ounces provolone cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cups)
2 T. pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 (or whatever pizza dough recommends). Toss the peppers, tomatoes, basil and minced garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cook the sliced garlic in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until golden, about 1 minute. Cool slightly.

Spray a baking sheet with PAM. Spread or roll out the pizza dough onto the pan. Drizzle with a little of the garlic oil. Top with the mozzarella, provolone and tomato-pepper mixture, then sprinkle with the pine nuts and sliced garlic.

Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes depending on what type of crust you use. Top with goat cheese before slicing.

Rigatoni with Vegetable Bolognese

Exactly a year ago I cooked for Brady for the first time. We had been dating for about a month and I wanted to cook something special so I made homemade bolognese. It was awesome, if do say so myself, and I am pretty sure that dish helped me win Brady over. There is definitely some truth to the saying "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

I wanted to make the bolognese for us last night but the recipe calls for three different kinds of meat - not exactly Lent friendly. I did some searching and came across a Giada De Laurentiis recipe for a vegetable bolognese that sounded delicious and got tons of reviews so I gave it a try. I thought the dish turned out great, very different from my original bolognese, but I loved that it was hearty and filling even though it was meat free.

** I linked my original bolognese recipe in case anyone is looking for a good classic bolognese recipe or has a man that they want to impress :)

Rigatoni with Vegetable Bolognese
** modified from Food Network, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
print recipe 

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I only used 1/2 ounce)
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp finely ground black pepper
5 ounces assorted mushrooms (like shiitake, cremini, and brown), stemmed and chopped
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 pound whole wheat rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with the 1 1/2 cups very hot water. Set aside and let the mushrooms soften.

Finely chop the carrots, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Place the olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the mushroom liquid. Add the porcini mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, and tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the porcini mushroom liquid and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the sauce simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir just until the cheese is incorporated.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (which while typing this I now realize we forgot to do). Toss the pasta with the sauce mixture. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid if necessary. Serve garnished with fresh Parmesan.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

Most people assume that Eggplant Parmesan is loaded with calories- and in most cases it is.  Typically the eggplant is fried and covered in tons of cheese. Sounds good right?  It is good, but it isn't very good for you.  Luckily there is a way to make this dish healthier and still maintain the flavor of the original dish.  By simply coating the eggplant in breadcrumbs and then baking it, you get the same crispy eggplant as the fried version but with a fraction of the calories and fat.

The ingredient list and preparation directions may look like a lot but the majority of the ingredients you should already have and the dish really isn't challenging to make.  I made the recipe in just under an hour- perfect for a Sunday evening when you have extra time.  The original recipe, which I have provided a link to below, serves 10, which is great for a crowd but since I am just feeding myself this week I halved the recipe and will have leftovers for the next few night.  Luckily this is a dish that I won't get sick of by the 4th night!

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
** adapted from Cooking Light
printable recipe

Serves: 4-5
Prep Time: 10
Bake Time: 45

Eggplant
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 T. water
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/8 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 (1 pound) eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices
Cooking spray

Filling
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1/8 cup grated fresh Parmesan
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
8 ounces light ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Remaining Ingredients
12 ounces pasta sauce- any brand or style
3 slices thinly sliced mozzarella cheese- cut into 4th's
1/4 cup finely grated fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Combine egg and 1 T. of water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 12 minutes, flip eggplant over and then bake for an additional 12 minutes on the other side.

To make filling, combine basil and next six ingredients (through egg).

To assemble, spoon 1/4 cup pasta sauce on bottom of 9x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce (my pan had room for 4 large and 1 small eggplant slices). Top each piece of eggplant with a large spoonful of sauce and then use half of the ricotta mixture to cover each piece of eggplant. Place a fourth of a piece of mozzarella on each piece of eggplant and sprinkle with 1/8 cup grated fontina cheese. Repeat layers once and then top each piece of eggplant with a large spoonful of sauce.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with torn basil and any remaining fontina cheese as a garnish.

** According to Cooking Light one eggplant stack has 318 calories and 15 grams of fat.  Pair with a side salad and you have a healthy and filling dinner!