Kale-Basil Pesto {Gluten Free, Vegan}

This is a vegan twist on our Fresh Basil Pesto with the addition of some nutrient packed, flavorful and earthy kale.  Who doesn't love pesto?  Our boys were licking their plates and asking for more.  Tonight we poured it over some tasty radiatori shaped quinoa pasta with chicken (sub in some more veggies if eating vegan/vegetarian) and broccoli.  We've also enjoyed it as a topping for our gluten free pizzas with chicken and grilled mushrooms sprinkled on top.  Enjoy!

Recipe: Makes about 1.5 - 2 cups of pesto; enough for pasta for 6-8 servings or two pizzas
Ingredients:
2 cups basil leaves, about two handfuls
4-5 cups of kale leaves (stems removed and discarded)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic (optional)
2 teaspoons salt 

Directions:
1. Add basil, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt to food processor and pulse for 30 seconds scraping down the sides as needed.
2. Add in the kale leaves 2 cups at a time and pulse until smooth.
Serving Ideas: cut defrosted chicken breast into strips and coat with pesto and bake in a 425'F oven for 15 minutes or until 160'F internal temp. Put on sandwiches, toss with pasta or use as a delicious pizza sauce topped with chicken and mushrooms.

*Edited to Add: We also love using raw cashews and lime juice as a substitute for the pine nuts and lemon juice.  Give it a try!

...click here for the recipe!

Steak and Asparagus Tacos with Hot and Sweet Cilantro Sauce

My hubby created this dish tonight and it was delish.  He was inspired by what we had in the fridge, imagine that.  So often when I can't come up with an idea for dinner I just stand and stare in the pantry or fridge or start with a particular item we need to eat up and go from there.  I accidentally bought more asparagus before we'd even eaten what we already had so he came up with these tacos.  We don't eat much beef (as I'm sure you gathered from reading our blog) but every once in awhile we enjoy it.  He sliced the meat up thinly and added a small amount but it was packed with flavor and his hot and sweet cilantro sauce was completely made up and an oh so tasty compliment to the fresh grilled asparagus.  Enjoy!

Recipe: serves 4 (2 tacos each)
Ingredients:
8 medium size tortillas (use gluten free brown rice tortillas for GF)
1 lb Beef top loin steak (New York) thin cut
1 bunch of asparagus
4 scallions
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
salt
pepper

Directions:
1. Fire up the grill on medium high heat (we used our cast iron grill pan inside). Clean and break the stems of the asparagus. Clean and trim the roots (tip of white end) from the scallions (leave the rest whole). Place both veggies in a bowl or dish and drizzle with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 1/8 tsp of garlic powder. Mix together gently with your hands.  Grill veggies for 5-10 minutes or until faint grill marks appear and they are cooked al dente, set aside and cover.

2. Season both sides of the steaks with a pinch of salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/8 tsp garlic powder. Rub in to ensure it sticks.  Grill steak about 3 minutes per side or until preferred doneness, set aside and cover.

3. Warm tortillas.  Assemble tacos with a lot of veggies, a little beef and Hot and Sweet Cilantro sauce (recipe below) to taste and serve up with some fresh guacamole and a lime wedge.

Hot and Sweet Cilantro Sauce

Hot and Sweet Cilantro Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (taste)
1 tsp potato starch (or All Purpose flour)
1/2 cup cilantro (minced very finely or juiced)

Directions:
Melt butter in sauce pan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat just as it starts to lightly brown. Allow to cool for 3 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. ...click here for the recipe!

Garden Fresh Marinara Sauce

Our garden is bursting with tomatoes, but you can only make salsa so many times... Tonight we made a 30-minute marinara sauce that we put over semolina pasta. It turned out fantastic!

The recipe was made up on the fly- and with the distractions of a 6 month old and 3 year old. So I hope my transcription of the recipe is correct enough; here we go:

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of Crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
9 medium tomatoes diced and seeded (I used 4 Roma tomatoes and 5 early girls)
3 oz of organic tomato paste
1/4 cup of water
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Heat a large wide sauce pan on med-high. Add olive oil, onion, garlic, mushrooms and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Cook until tomatoes break down (~10 minutes) then cover and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve hot over pasta with some Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
- J (Dad) ...click here for the recipe!

Fresh Basil Pesto

Recently my hubby celebrated his birthday and one of his choices for a dinner out was a tasty family-owned pizzeria. We ordered something new to us, pesto pizza. It was delicious. They have a wonderful pizza crust, smothered in pesto and mozzarella cheese. It inspired me to take some of the tons of fresh basil we have growing in our yard and make some pesto! I used walnuts for this and toasted them in the oven to give them alittle extra toasty flavor. Just spread them on a sheet pan and toast in a 350'F oven for about 8-10 minutes until fragrant and just browned, but not burned. :o)

Pulse food processor to chop nuts

Add basil and garlic and pulse again

Add Parmesan and stream in the olive oil

finished pesto...yum!

Recipe: 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Special equipment needed: A food processor

1. Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta, on sandwiches, over toasted baguette slices or make a pesto pizza!  
*I like to freeze the sauce in small-one meal portion-zip top bags, or you could freeze it in ice cube trays for easy 1-ounce measuring.

...click here for the recipe!

J's Spicy Salsa

 

J's Salsa Recipe (yields ~ 1 1/2-2cups)

Combine the following:
1 (14.5oz) can Organic diced tomatoes, drain most but not all the liquid
1/8 large red onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
the juice of 1/2 to 1 lime (to taste)
1/4 cup hot sauce (we like La Victoria Salsa Brava Hot)
1/4-1/3 tsp salt, to taste
1 1/2 tsp Chili Pepper sauce for heat and roasted flavor (optional)

BLEND with an immersion blender or in a food processor until desired consistency and serve up with your favorite chips.

...click here for the recipe!