Eat Your Greens Pasta

Here’s something about me you might not guess from all the baked goods I make: I like to eat healthy.  I exercise a ton, take omega-3 supplements, am always trying to eat enough greens (thus my daily kale smoothies); you get the picture.  I also like things to taste GOOD. I mean it – I LOVE food. I love eating.  I also love eating out, which often presents a decision crisis for me: do I eat healthy or delicious or sacrifice a bit of both.  There are the occasional restaurants where this conundrum doesn’t present itself, but the easiest place to eat is my own kitchen.

This homemade pasta fits the bill – it’s packed with greens (basically as much as I could fit in without the pasta falling apart) and tastes amazing.  Like homemade pasta should.

I cooked it up with more veggies (surprise!) and made an awesome pasta primavera.  Just some green onions and an assortment of yummy veggies sauteed together, topped off with white wine, lemon zest, parmesan, and a little pasta water (not to mention the ubiquitous S&P). Oh yum.

You will need a stand mixer for this and either a pasta attachment or a hand-crank pasta maker. Alternatively, you can do this without a mixer, but I read somewhere that you have to knead so hard/long that your butt will sweat.  I recently experienced this making a batch of bagels without a mixer and it wasn’t pretty.  My arms were sore for days (we won’t even discuss the state of my clothing).

Mean Green Tropical Smoothie

I am obsessed with kale.  Sometimes, I have a hard time deciphering whether I love something on its own or whether I have fallen in love with it because I know it’s good for me. I guess at some point, there isn’t a difference.  Kale is something that’s easy to love and its ridiculously good for you.

One of the easiest (and IMHO the most delicious) ways to enjoy this leafy green is in a smoothie.  Many people have already joined the kale band wagon, but if you still haven’t this smoothie might hurry you along. For those of you who shudder at the thought of eating your greens this way, I urge you to try: it literally tastes like something from a Caribbean resort, minus the rum.  On second thought, maybe rum would be a good addition….  Hello, St. Patty’s day!

Asian Black Quinoa Salad

Cooking feeds my soul.  When I’m in the kitchen, I get into a groove where my body seems to hum.  Whether I cook with wine like Julia Child or just whip up something quick, something wonderful happens to me. I’m not sure if it’s the knowledge that I’m going to feed people good food or just the act of cooking; it vivifies me.

Sometimes, when I get home tired and hungry from a long day, my immediate thought is “takeout.”  Before I jump on this, I have to remind myself how much better cooking is for my body and mind. Quick and easy meals are a necessity for days like this, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.  It’s too easy to compromise health for a quick fix.  This dish took under 30 minutes and is filling enough for a main dish.  Not too bad. (Who am I kidding though – I love a good take out Asian meal…)

Although I’m trying out this gluten-free thing, I’m a huge fan of grains.  Quinoa, although technically a seed, feels pretty grain like and already has a steady place in our meal rotation. Obviously it will play a crucial role over the next few months and I hope to get more creative with its uses.  For now a salad is the perfect way to showcase this “grain” and the key is the punchy flavor.  This dressing is flavorful and low-calorie – hubby believes in putting fish sauce in everything and calls it “restaurant sauce.”  Although it creeps me out a bit, I do agree that it makes things taste pretty good.

Super Smoky Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Kale

Though Asian food is my general go to, there are two American comfort classics that hold a special place in my heart/favorite food list: mashed potatoes and mac and cheese.

Oh how I love mac and cheese: baked with a bready crust, tangy with sharp cheddar, spicy with green chile – the combo doesn’t really matter as long as it has the gooey deliciousness.  Well this “healthy” version has it.  Though the calorie content is not too different, the squash and kale add tons of vitamins.  Greek yogurt and almond milk replace butter and milk for an extra creamy delicious consistency. I opted for brown rice pasta as well, though any pasta would work.

You may be skeptical of adding all the veggies, but I promise you this won’t disappoint. It is outrageously good and I had to hold myself back from eating the whole pan.

Nutty and Spicy North African Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Kale

Ok, I’m going soup crazy lately.  It could be the sudden turn for the worse weather-wise in Boston (we had one first/last snow storm) or perhaps the exciting SoupaPalooza.  Whatever the reason, my tummy has not been suffering.

This soup is awesome. It has an incredible combo of flavors – the peanut butter and Harissa sauce (a nod to North African cooking) make this soup nutty, sweet, spicy and smoky all at once.

It is the perfect soup to spice up a grey New England day (or a grey day anywhere). The addition of kale (yum) is obviously divine.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups leeks, white and light green parts cleaned and thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

2 med sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp natural peanut butter

3 tablespoons harissa (store bought or homemade – see recipe below)

3 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

3-5 cups low sodium broth (I use Better than Bouillon with twice the recommended amount of water ) – enough to cover veggies

3 packed cups thinly sliced kale

Directions:

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add leeks and onions and saute until they are lightly golden, 5-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, harissa, garlic, and spices.  Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Add squash, sweet potatoes and enough broth to just cover.  Bring to a boil and then cover and turn to medium-low heat.  Cook 20-30 minutes or until squash is soft when poked with a fork.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  Add more broth if needed for desired consistency.

Add kale and cook until soft, 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Harissa

Ingredients:

10 dried cayenne peppers (chile de arbol)

2 dried ancho chiles

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.  In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Blend. Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste. Store in airtight container.

Another recipe for SoupaPalooza! Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored byKitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset