Pass the Pesto!

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese (VO: leave off/use vegan cheese/nutritional yeast flakes)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup of pine nuts
3 garlic cloves (minced)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add pine nuts and basil in food processor & grind

Add garlic to food processor & grind

While processing... slowly add olive oil...

Finally add parmesan cheese salt and pepper

Serve in any pasta, as a dip for bread, or with cooked veggies
Tip:add basil pesto to mayonnaise for a nice pesto mayo in your sandwich!(half and half)

Tip: Add a squeeze of lemon to give it a bit of zing

Entree or Side: Three Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto

 Three Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto 


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced


What you will need:

6 cups Vegetable broth stock

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
12-18 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
8 whole or sliced chanterelle mushrooms

2 shallots, diced (or white onion cut however you want)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (I like chardonnay or German Riesling)

Kosher/rock salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 TBS butter

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or other sharp cheese you like)

Directions:

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the portobello and white mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Spread whole or sliced chanterelle mushrooms on a baking sheet and lightly salt, bake at 350 for the entire time it takes you to make the risotto. The desired effect is a crispy dried mushroom to add as garnish.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale translucent, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed.

Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 30 minutes.

Take crispy chanterelles out of the oven and set aside.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with crispy chanterelles

Supposted to serve 6 but I divide into 4 portions

Soup: Italian Minestrone

Soup: Italian Minestrone


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner 

What you will need:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1 cup canned kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can green beans

2 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup seashell pasta (Try Jumbo shells if you like more stuff than broth)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3

minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1

to 2 minutes.

Add broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add

red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, the longer the better.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook el

            dente. Drain water and set aside. (If you want faster preparation cook pasta while you are making soup)

            

            Once soup is heated through add cooked pasta to soup. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil, top with chopped basil and serve HOT!

Dip: White bean, parmesan, and oven roasted garlic

White bean Dip

What you will need:

Whole head of garlic

16 oz Can of navy white beans

6 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs sweetener (or sugar)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tps Cayenne pepper

1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut top and bottom off garlic head; peel off skins and place cloves in tinfoil pouch drizzle with 2 Tbs olive oil season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and cloves fall apart with fork.

Rinse navy beans with cold water, drain and place in food processor. Add in roasted garlic, drizzle in remaining 4 Tbs olive oil. Add 2 tps cayenne pepper, sweetener and Parmesan cheese. Pulse on high for 3-5 minutes until mostly smooth.

Transfer mixture into casserole dish and mix in most of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle small amount on top. Bake for 10 minutes until top is bubbly

Serve with chips, crackers and cut vegetables. 

Entree or Side: Pumpkin Risotto

 Pumpkin Risotto


Prep Time: 5-10
Cook Time: 35 mins
Skill Level: Intermediate- Advanced

What you will need:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine (chardonnay or German Riesling)

About 6 cups of vegetable stock

1 butternut squash, one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and Sauteed in a little oil and butter until tender

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Shaved parmesan to garnish (you can use a vegetable peeler or microplane)

Directions:

In a medium-size heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil.

Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated (you can microwave plates for 4 minutes on 50% power) shallow serving bowls/pasta plates garnish with shaved Parmesan. Enjoy!

Higher protein Alternative:

Cube tofu and microwave in orange juice bath for 5 minutes before risotto is done

top with tofu chopped apricots and finish with shaved Parmesan garnish.