Fresh Pasta

There is nothing in this world like fresh pasta.

Okay, maybe baked brie straight out of the oven, drizzled with honey. Or fresh burrata in a puddle of the most green olive oil you've ever seen. BUT THAT'S IT.

Fresh pasta is a super fun food to make with a significant other, friend, or family member. I first learned how to make fresh pasta while visiting an old neighbor of my friend, Ashley, in Italy. She was from the states but had married an Italian man and had been living in Italy. It was amazing because she actually taught us how to make the pasta without a pasta maker; we used an old broomstick, (broom removed) and a knife to cut the pasta.

The second time I made fresh pasta was during a wine tasting/cooking class at a villa in the hills of Tuscany. Sounds amazing? It was. I'll tell you about the second best day (after my wedding day) of my life some other time.

Brett and I rarely ever make fresh pasta, I'm not sure why, probably because it can be time consuming, but we really should more often. Brett's grandma actually gave us our pasta maker as a wedding gift. It's the same pasta maker that she and her late husband used to make pasta with, so it always feels extra special using it.

This is a very basic pasta recipe that I feel works best. In this recipe I used organic whole wheat flour, but you can use whichever flour you please. Finely ground pastry flour would probably work best.




Ingredients:  (serves 4-6 people)

2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon olive oil

Place the two cups of flour in a mound on a workable surface. Make a hole in the center of the flour, big enough for 3 eggs to fit without spilling over the flour. Add the eggs, salt, and olive oil to the whole. Gently break the yolks and incorporate the flour into the liquids, adding a bit of flour at a time from the sides. Gradually the dough will take shape. Once it's all incorporated, knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and pliable. If the dough is too sticky you can add more flour, if it's too dry you can add a tiny bit of water at a time. You do not want it to be sticky, however.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

After that, unwrap the dough and split it into four pieces. Using one piece at a time, gently pull it through your pasta machine until desired thickness, and put it through either the thick or thin noodle setting. You might want to cut the noodles so they're not too long. Place noodles on a floured surface and top with more flour. Repeat this until all the dough is done.

Boil water and gently add noodles, allow to boil for 3-4 minutes and drain. Serve immediately with your sauce of choice.

Pesto, Spinach,Tomato, and Fresh Mozzarella Pasta

 After studying abroad in Italy my friend Megan and I went back to visit some friends still living there for Spring break. We stayed with a friend I had met on my University soccer team in Rome, and one night she made us a delicious Italian meal with fresh pasta, fresh mozzarella, spinach, and tomatoes. She sauteed the spinach and tomatoes with garlic and olive oil, then added a splash of cream at the very end. It was one of the best, and most simple, Italian dishes I've ever had.

 So this dish is inspired by that meal. To make it a bit healthier, I replaced the cream with fresh pesto sauce, and replaced the fresh pasta with quinoa pasta. Brown rice pasta would work as well, if you're looking for a gluten free dish. I do find that with quinoa spaghetti, the noodles tend to break apart easily, which is why brown rice pasta might work better for this dish. You can of course use fresh pasta or regular spaghetti noodles if you're not watching your gluten.

Either way, it tastes delicious. You add fresh, chopped, mozzarella at the very end, which delicately melts into the pasta noodles. This dish wouldn't be what it is without the fresh mozzarella.


 

Ingredients: (Serves two, but you could easily double the recipe)

8 oz quinoa or brown rice spaghetti noodles
1 fresh mozzarella ball, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fresh pesto sauce
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups raw spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil for garnish

Cook pasta as directed. While pasta is boiling, sautee olive oil and tomatoes in a pan on medium heat. As tomatoes start to release their juices, add 2 cups of raw spinach and sautee until starting to wilt. At this point, reduce heat to low and add the minced garlic and sautee for one more minute. Drain pasta noodles (while reserving 2 tablespoons pasta water) and add to tomato and spinach pan. Add 3 tablespoons pesto sauce and chopped mozzarella. Toss and serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free, Grain Free)

My husband has a sweet tooth. I do not. I much prefer salty snacks to sweets. For instance, I could eat an entire bag of potato chips in one sitting, if I had zero inhibitions. But for my thigh's sake, I don't do that.

Almost every night after dinner my husband will ask me if we have any 'sweet treats' in the house, since I do the grocery shopping I usually control what type of junk food we keep in the house. Because of my lack of self control, at times, I don't often buy junk food. But instead, I'll make homemade cookies or snacks, that way I can limit how much is made.

I came across a grain free recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and decided to give it a whirl. I only made a few minor adjustments, but the cookies were absolutely amazing. I cannot even believe how they rose exactly like flour cookies do.

If you make these, you will not be disappointed. Trust me.




Ingredients:
1 cup of chunky (no stir) peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract (gf)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (gf)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and egg. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes. Rolls dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently flatten each ball just slightly, to encourage less of a puffed ball shape while baking.

Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and allow to sit on baking sheet for another two minutes before taking cookies off. Best when eaten while warm. This dough can also be frozen, however it needs to thaw out a bit before being rolled into balls.

Broccoli Soup (Vegan Option)

I love broccoli, a lot.

I also love broccoli cheese soup, a lot.

However, it's not exactly healthy when there's a half cup of butter and a cup of cream in one bowl of soup. So I came up with this healthier version. When I made it I decided to use vegetable broth, because I was feeling really healthy. But I soon realized I don't really like vegetable broth. It has a slight, but distinct celery flavor, and for those that know me well, celery is my most hated food. It's weird I know, I really just can't even stand the smell of it.

Anyways, the vegetable broth option is the vegan option, but if you're going for flavor, I'd go with chicken broth. I also added fresh spinach in to give it an extra kick of nutrients. The soup was delicious, nonetheless, and I garnished mine with avocado chunks and cheddar cheese. I also ate it with a side of Cheesy Jalapeño Beer Bread

And if you're wanting full flavor, cheesy, creamy, broccoli soup...I'd say add in the half and half at the end. It's not too much, but just enough to give it that extra depth of flavor.




Ingredients:

12 oz. organic broccoli florets
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 liter of organic vegetable broth OR chicken broth (GF)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of raw organic spinach
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup half and half (optional)

 In a pot, sautee onions with oil on medium heat, until translucent. Add minced garlic and sautee for one more minute, but be sure not to let the garlic burn. Add broccoli and broth and allow pot to simmer for ten minutes, or until broccoli is tender but not overcooked. Remove pot from stove and allow to cool. Once the soup has cooled, blend soup with the raw spinach in a blender, or with an emersion blender, until smooth. If you would like a "creamier" vegan version, you can blend an avocado with the soup.

Return soup to pot and heat, serves 2-4 people.

For the non-vegan recipe you can add 1/2 cup half and half and half cup cheese while re-heating. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with extra cheddar cheese.

Banana Vanilla Bean Waffles (GF)

After church today I decided it might be fun to make brunch at home, since Brett and I rarely have Sunday's off together. I came up with this recipe for banana vanilla bean waffles which also happen to be grain free and oil free. The grocery store was having a sale on buckwheat flour so I decided to add a bit of it to the recipe. I recently learned that buckwheat flour is actually not a grain, but a seed. It contains the eight essential amino acids, as well as high proportions of manganese, magnesium and fiber, and has been shown to combat high blood sugar and cholesterol. Why not add it to my diet more often?! The thing with buckwheat is that it has a unique flavor. Some might say it's acquired. However, in this recipe the flavor is not noticeable, at least I think it's not. I used overly ripe banana to aid the flavor and the vanilla bean also adds something special. Paired with a side of bacon and/or fruit, and a dollop of yogurt (or butter), this brunch was delicious.

NOTE: If you are sensitive to gluten and not just avoiding it for the heck of it, make sure to always check the labels for truly gluten free products. Baking soda is normally gluten free, but some companies produce it in a facility that contains wheat products and it could contain traces of gluten (just an example).










Ingredients: (makes 4 medium sized waffles)

1 cup almond meal/flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
2 eggs
1/3 cup yogurt
2 tsp vanilla bean paste (gf)
1/4 cup soy or almond milk

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Whisk banana, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and milk together and add dry ingredients. Using a preheated waffle iron, add batter 1/2 cup at a time, per waffle until your waffle iron displays ready light. Serve with warm syrup.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Man, I love soup. Here's, yet another, soup recipe. Feel free to use any type of tomatoes you like, get creative! I made this soup without cream (trying to be good), though it would probably be even better with it. If you do decide to add cream, then you should probably go all the way and make homemade croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches to go with it. There's nothing like curling up on the couch with a fresh bowl of tomato basil soup, and a cheesy, crisp, buttery grilled cheese sandwich. This soup has a vegan and/or dairy free option. For vegan simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and of course don't add cream or cheese. For dairy free option, simply don't add cream or cheese.  I topped my tomato soup with grated parmesan and mozzarella, because I love cheese too much to ever not have it. Seriously, make this soup.

 

Ingredients:

10 oz cherry tomatoes
2 medium sized vine ripened tomatoes (roughly chopped)
1 can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 box chicken broth (32 fluid oz)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss tomatoes in 1 tbsp oil and roast on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. In a pot on medium heat, sautee oil with chopped onions and carrots until onions are translucent. Add in chopped garlic and sautee for about one minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Carefully add roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while, then add chopped basil. Simmer 10 more minutes and remove from heat. Add in cream here if you decide to do so,  and salt and pepper to taste.

Once the soup has cooled down enough, either blend in a blender (in batches) or use an emersion blender. Do not try to blend while it's hot, the heat will cause the soup to explode out of the blender and you will end up with a giant mess. Return soup to pot and heat until warm. Serve with cheese, basil, or croutons. Or a combination of all three.

Glowing Skin Green Smoothie

I call this smoothie the 'glowing skin green smoothie' because I'd like to think it makes my skin glow. It's packed with all sorts of good-for-you nutrients, and lemon, which helps detox the body and cleanses the digestive system. You digestive system is linked to you skin, believe it or not. When I eat too much dairy or sugar, you can tell. Within 24 hours I usually end up with a pimple. I find that drinking lemon water daily helps to keep my skin and body healthy, which is why I added it to this smoothie. I used blueberries in this one (which is why it's more of a dark green color), though sometimes I use chopped apples instead. I cut up a bunch of pineapple and banana ahead of time and stick it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Using all organic ingredients is always a plus.



This smoothie is tangy, and a bit sweet from the honey, and definitely refreshing. If you're used to fruity smoothies, this one might not be for you. You can definitely tell there's a hint of greens, but it doesn't taste like you're drinking pure grass. Since this smoothie is pretty low in calories, I wouldn't use it as a meal replacement, but more as a snack between meals or a drink to go with breakfast. Maybe it's just me, but drinking this smoothie makes me feel like my skin is actually brighter. It's probably not, but it's the thought that counts, right?

 Ingredients: (makes two smoothies)

 1 cup chopped frozen pineapple
1/2 banana, chopped and frozen
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup raw spinach
1 cup raw kale
juice of one lemon
1 cup water 1 tbsp honey

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more water, depending on how thick/thin you enjoy your smoothies.