Month: July 2017

Have you ever made a recipe that made you want to throw a party just to make it again for all of your friends? That’s what happen to me with this smashed pea bruschetta. Seriously nom and so easy.

Each bite was a perfect combination of creamy (I’m looking at you, ricotta) and crunchy (toasted sourdough, whatsup); not to mention those powerhouse peas (so many vitamins and minerals!) and bits of basil really bringing out the flavor.

This recipe is going into the favorites box, y’all! I love that it is versatile too. It can be a simple, light, delicious dinner on a hot summer night or a lovely start to a dinner party with friends. You can also pair it with grilled shrimp or a big, giant salad for a more hearty meal (or soup in the winter). The ingredients are few but the options are plenty. Double win.

Note: I served this with a side of sautéed spinach and mushrooms to stay in line with my 3 meals in 15 ingredients.

Smashed Pea Bruschetta

Prep time: 10 minutes* – Cook time: 5minutes – Servings: 2

*I used frozen peas and defrosted them in the refrigerator the night before

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 ricotta
• 5 – 6 basil leaves, chopped finely
• 2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• S&P to taste

Directions: 

• While bread is toasting….
• Smash peas! I used the pestle (from our mortar) to smash them
• Add ricotta, chopped basil, and S&P
• Scoop onto toasted bread and top with sliced tomatoes
• Serve

#vegvibes

Have you cooked with farro before? They sell it at Trader Joe’s and it’s great when you want to mix things up.

Farro has a slightly nutty taste and a chewy consistency, almost like gnocchi. I make it with vegetable broth to add more flavor and learned by trail and error not to follow the instructions on the little blue bag (more on that below).

Basically farro is yummy, cheap, and versatile. I made this dish with peas and a side of roasted vegetables, all that came from my list of 15 ingredients! (If you prep and cut your vegetables before, the prep time for this one is basically non-existent. All about that!)

There were plenty of leftovers which can be paired with toast (also on the list) for another easy meal.

Pea and Parmesan Farro

Prep time: 0 – 5 minutes – Cook time: 15 – 20 minutes – Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 package farro
• 1 box vegetable broth
• 1 cup peas (I used frozen)
• Optional: veggies to roast as a side

Directions: 

• The bag of farro instructs you to cook the grain like rice, covered and simmering in boiling water. I like to use veg broth because it give it more flavor. I still simmer it but leave the pot without a lid so the steam can evaporate. It you don’t want to do this method, feel free to go by the insturctions listed on the package 🙂
• When the farro has absorbed all of the broth (~20 minutes), I added my cup of frozen peas and have it a good stir to heat the peas through
• Plate and top with parm
• Re. a side, while my farro was simmering, I roasted zucchini and mushrooms, which gave us enough farro for leftovers! Refrigerate to reheat and serve with sourdough toast – on the list of 15 ingredients! – for another quick weeknight meal

#vegvibes

When I think of lasagna, a few memories rush to mind…

I remember visiting my grandparents on winter breaks and opening their freezer to boxes of Stouffer’s Lasagna. In between breaks from playing Barbies and Briarberry bears (did anyone else play with these?!) I would tear open a red cardboard box and pop that plastic try of noodles, cheese, and marinara sauce in the microwave. A few minutes later, BAM, piping hot lasagna waiting for me to eat before blissfully going back to playing make believe.

I also remember Mike picking me up in the first few months of us dating for dinner in North Beach, the Italian district in San Francisco. We went to a cozy little restaurant and sat at a table for two by the window. I ordered the lasagna and probably broke some dating “rule” by finishing every last bite. Who can resist melty cheese and carbohydrates? Not this girl.

Lastly, I distinctly remember the first time I made my own lasagna and packed it with as many veggies as I could. Carrots in the sauce! Spinach in the ricotta! (Arguably healthier than the Stouffer’s and North Beach variety.) Bless Mike for eating my cooking without complaint!

My point is, I love me some good layered lasagna! But it’s a dish that screams WINTER. I wanted to lighten it up for the warmer months and knew replacing the noddles with lighter zucchini would do the trick!

Summer Style Zucchini Lasagna

Prep time: 20 minutes – Cook time: 40 minutes – Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 3 – 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 – 7 small zucchini sliced in long thin pieces*
• 4 – 5 small ripe JUICY tomatoes (if you can’t find any, a strained can of fire-roasted tomatoes will do
• 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup roughly chopped spinach
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

* Important step: after you slice the zucchini, place the stripes on paper towels for ~20 minutes to absorb some of the water *

Directions:

• Sauté the minced garlic in olive oil until fragrant
•  Add mushrooms and tomatoes (getting all of the seeds and juice in there to give it more of a sauce consistency)
• While your sauce is cooking, add chopped spinach to ricotta and mix well
• After mushrooms and tomatoes are cooked, spread a thin layer on the bottom of a pan (I used a small enough one for two but the size will depend on how much you’re making)
• Layer zucchini slices on top of sauce and then the spinach and ricotta cheese mixture
• Top with mushrooms and tomatoes
• Repeat 3/4 times, depending on how many zucchini you have
• Top with parmesan cheese
• Bake at 350 for 40 minutes

#vegvibes