Pasta with Cauliflower, feta, and walnuts

This was pasta week, there was an epic fail of a recipe that we won't bore you with and then there was this. A unique spin on "healthy" eating these days is to use less pasta and add in vegetables to fill out the dish. Cauliflower is not usually something we crave here at Urban Kitchen... except maybe the kind we all grew up on with the buttery baked bread crumb topping- but this, this was even better- and it's really good for you too. The method is to saute ( stir fry) the cauliflower so it retains some texture, (and doesn't turn in to mush) this really adds a nice flavor complexity.  Insert garlic, red pepper flakes, onion... brightened with fresh lemon and parsley... topped with toasted walnuts and goat's milk feta- all tossed in with nutty whole wheat pasta; oh my, I wish I still had some to eat ( by the way- left overs at lunch were phenomenal!)  It is so flavorful with tons of garlic and onion, fits in a regular dutch oven style pan and made 5 normal sized portions. The extra red pepper flakes give it just the right amount of heat, I drizzled more olive oil before serving along with the fresh parsley, which really brightens up this dish visually and flavor wise, and the goats milk feta is just perfect- it’s more mellow and creamy then standard feta!  Please try this recipe if it sound sup your alley and let us know what you think- are we crazy or is this really, really THAT good?

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower 

1 medium onion

4 LARGE cloves garlic 

1/2 lb whole-wheat pasta 

1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil ( divided) 

Salt and pepper ( to taste) 

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 

2 tsp Champagne vinegar
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup toasted walnuts ( chopped)
4 ounces goat’s milk feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley



Put a large pot of water on to boil. Cut the cauliflower into small flowerets. Peel the onion and slice it very thin. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put the pasta on to cook.

Saute the cauliflower in olive oil in a large saute pan. When the cauliflower begins to soften, season with salt and pepper and add the sliced onion and red pepper flakes. Saute over medium to high heat until the vegetables are brown and tender. The cauliflower should still be slightly crunchy and should not taste steamed. Add the garlic and remove from the heat, tossing and stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn; if it starts to brown, add a splash of water. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and the toasted walnuts. Taste and correct the seasoning. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the cauliflower, adding enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pasta thoroughly, toss together and serve, with the parsley and cheese crumbled over the dish.

Asian Vegetable and Chicken Noodle Bowl

Want a take out style meal that you can make at home in under 30 minutes?  Well look no further!  Sesame whole wheat rice noodles topped with ginger laden chicken and fresh veggies will fill you up and satisfy any take out craving. 

Ingredients

(adapted from So Easy, Ellie Kreiger)
8 oz. soba noodles or whole wheat udon noodles
2 tsp canola oil
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 Tbsp minced, peeled, fresh ginger
10 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1-15 oz can no salt added baby corn, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb broccoli florets (3 cups)
1/2 pound fresh baby bella mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 c low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

 Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.

2. Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the scallions and ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken a little salt and pepper ( garlic powder too if you like!) and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add the baby corn, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, broth, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes. Add the noodles and sesame oil. Toss to combine.

Pasta Presto

Busy weeknights call for imaginative meals.  We found ourselves without a plan for dinner one night, and with a fridge/ pantry full of random ingredients begging to be used asap.  So, we made a pasta with yummy remains of fresh herbs and extra salad fixings ( goat cheese, yellow peppers, cherry and sun dried tomatoes), plus some leftover broth and wine.  It happened to be a very fresh, deeply flavorful, and very nutritious pasta entree that we just had to share with you!

Ingredients:

½ pound whole wheat bow tie pasta, cooked and drained, reserve ½ cup water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup diced yellow pepper

½ cup parsley, chopped

½ cup basil, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

14.5 ounce can Cannellini Beans ( white beans), low sodium and rinsed

¼ cup white wine

1 cup water

½ cup vegetable broth, reduced sodium

8 oz reduced sodium tomato sauce

2 ounces goat cheese

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pan with high sides, over medium high heat. Add in onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add in yellow peppers and garlic, cook one minute more. Stir in white wine and cook till completely reduced, about 3 minutes. Then toss in the parsley, basil, tomatoes, beans, water, broth and tomato sauce. Stir to combine well and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in goat cheese and taste test. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in pasta stir to combine, if the sauce is too thick- add in some reserved pasta water until your desired consistency.  To serve, plate a portion and top with grated Parmesan.

Spinach and Portobello Lasagna Rolls

Weekends!  Gotta love them; slow mornings allow us to take it easy and enjoy our breakfast, flipping through our favorite cookbooks and planning out our week of delicious, healthy meals.  This saves us lots of time, stress and money during the week, not to mention it keeps us from splurging on take-out menus that are anything but good for you or your wallet.  Going shopping once a week also helps with all the fresh ingredients staying fresh.  We try to pick about 3-4 dinners, which make ample Lunchtime leftovers, and 2 grab and go breakfasts ( such as healthy muffins or Muesli) to get through the workweek.  It's a really great idea to try to pick recipes that have some similar ingredients when it comes to buying a container of fresh herbs, low fat buttermilk, or other perishables that can't be frozen if left unused after the recipes been made.  This week we picked a couple recipes that had some similar perishable ingredients: basil, mozzarella, Parmesan.  Extra veggies such as tomato and mushrooms can be chopped up for omelets or quesadillas!  This recipe can be made ahead on the weekend when you've got more time, and frozen in individual containers to heat up throughout the week for lunches or dinners.  The roll-ups really help with portion control and look/ taste great too!  It's a dish high in fiber and protein, and about 490 cals for 2 rolls.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups store bought Basil/Tomato marinara sauce, organic/ lower sodium
1 (15-ounce) container low fat ricotta cheese
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, basil the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses,tent loosely with foil so the cheese doesn't stick, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Butternut Squash Ravioli and White Wine Butter Sauce

Who doesn't love fall, especially the wonderful one we are enjoying this year?  With it comes some incredible produce like squash... acorn- pumpkin- spaghetti- butternut, and all are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that happen to be very tasty, especially when mixed with a blend of goats cheese, green onions and basil in ravioli!  Try this recipe and you will NOT be disappointed.  We usually only make enough to have for dinner since leftovers do not keep well.  Freeze and store the remaining filling for more future ravioli dinners, appetizer dips or fillings, or as a sauce on rice or whole grain pasta.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 lb Butternut Squash, peeled seeded and cubed

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

3 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth ( low sodium)

To make:

1 package of Wonton Wrappers

2 tablespoons water, to seal

To Serve:

Fresh Basil

Parmesan Shavings

More fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

Put cubed squash in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for additional 25 minutes until it is fork tender.  Drain well and return to pot.  Stir in goat cheese, scallions, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a frying pan, add in broth and wine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes until reduced.  Set aside.

Bring another pot of water to boil to cook ravioli in.  Have a slotted spoon to remove them once cooked nearby as well as a large platter.

Set up a clean work surface to build your ravioli- bring the filling mixture, 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow little bowl and wonton wrappers.  Have the wonton wrappers laid out to make 4 at a time, so 8 wonton wrappers in a 4 x2 configuration.  Dip your finger in the water and swipe the edges of the wonton wrappers around the outer edge.  Place about 2 teaspoons of filling directly in the center of your wonton and top with the other wrapper, seal with a fork around the outer edges as shown in our picture. 

Working in batches of 4 at time continue to build as many ravioli as desired.  Place 4 at a time in to the pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, then with your slotted spoon remove them and place on your platter.  They stick to each other if you stack them, so keep it to one layer. 

To serve, place a portion of the ravioli on 4 plates, divide and spoon on the sauce, fresh basil, parmesan shavings, and fresh cracked pepper!

Easy Homemade Monday night Pasta

Jason is the king of sauces, he also has a hard time following a recipe! This sauce is a classic Jason masterpiece with a few surprises like zucchini and baby bella mushrooms.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup thin sliced zucchini (ours was from Jamie and Chris' garden- thanks!!)

1/2 cup red wine

2 cans diced tomatoes, low sodium, drained

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

unsalted butter as needed

freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 box of your favorite past- cooked and drained

Directions:

In a small pan, sautee the mushrooms and butter over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

In a large dutch oven pan with lid, heat olive oil over medium flame. Add the onion and cook till transparent, not brown. Add in the garlic, stir to combine until fragrant- 1 minute. Slowly add the red wine, turning the flame high, and reduce by half. Add in the zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, sauce, 1/2 the basil, all the oregano, the bay leaf and a little bit of cheese. Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. Taste test for salt and pepper, more garlic or more cheese... if you find the sauce is too acidic add in a pat of butter to smooth it out. Cook for 5 more minutes, then remove the bay leaf. Divide the sauce in half, blend 1/2 with an immersion blender, then stir it all back together. Serve over the pasta with fresh grated cheese and the basil divided evenly- serves 4