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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Fri. Nov 9th

Spinach Walnut Pesto Pasta with Veggies

Daily Tidbit:  I made Spinach Walnut Pesto Spaghetti with Peas for my kids today and it looked so good I wanted to eat it!  My version however, limited the amount of Pasta by loading the dish up with Veggies to reduce Calories and increase Fiber.  I added Mushrooms, Olives, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Arugula (pictured above) = YUM!  

You can do this with any tantalizing Pasta recipe by just doubling the Veggies called for in the recipe, or adding in some of your favs!  Here is a great list of options from the Food Network if you need inspiration!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/pasta/results.do




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Plain Oatmeal with Walnuts & Cinnamon

Breakfast: Plain Oatmeal with Walnuts

1/2 cup uncooked Plain Oatmeal, heated in microwave with:

1 cup Fat Free Milk, then topped with:
2 tbsp Plain Walnuts & 1/2 tsp Plain Ground Cinnamon
5 oz OJ

Regular Coffee, with a splash of Fat Free Milk and 1/4 tsp Plain Ground Cinnamon

 
 


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Spinach Walnut Pesto Pasta with Veggies

Lunch: Spinach Walnut Pesto Pasta with Veggies!
1/4 cup cooked Spaghetti tossed with:  1 tsp EVOO, Peas, Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, & Arugula in a Walnut Pesto (recipe below) 
topped with 1 tbsp Grated Parmesan (not pictured)
Decaf Coffee, with a splash of 1% Milk & Cinnamon

  
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Snack:  1 serving Wholegrain Chips, Water

 

  
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Snack: 1/4 cup mixed Nuts, 1% Milk & 1 Gala Apple


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Golden Winter Veggie Stew

Dinner: Golden Winter Veggie Stew (Vegetarian)

2 cups of Golden Veggie Stew (recipe below)
topped with fresh cut Cilantro
Red Wine

 
I really wanted to use the Yellow Lentils and Saffron in my pantry, and came up with this Golden colored Wintertime Stew!

   

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Dessert: 1 Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie = SUPER YUM! (recipe below)
 

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RECIPES:

Spinach Walnut Pesto Recipe:
Into Food Processor put:
-3 cups fresh Spinach
-1/4 cup Walnuts
Puree and stream in 1 tbsp EVOO & serve with Pasta, Veggies, as a dressing for salad on a spread on a sandwich!



Golden Winter Veggie Stew Recipe:

1 pinch Saffron threads
2 tbsp Water 

1 tbsp EVOO

1/2 Red Onion, chopped
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
1 tsp Red Pepper Flake (or more, depending on hot spicy you'd like it!)

Salt/ Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste 
 
1 Medium Zucchini, chopped
1 cup Carrots, chopped 
1 Parsnip, skinned & chopped
1 Yukon Gold Potato, skinned & chopped
1 cup Yellow Lentils (cleaned & drained in several changes of water)
2 cups canned whole Italian Tomatoes in juice
2 cups Chicken Broth (using Vegetable Broth converts this to a Vegetarian recipe!)
1 cup Water
 

Heat Saffron threads in 2 tbsp of water in microwave for 30 seconds; let sit for 10 minutes to steep.  Heat tall Stew Pot, add EVOO and swirl to coat bottom.  Add Onion and saute until softened, then add Garlic, Red Pepper Flake, Salt/ Pepper and stir and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes).  Add Zucchini and allow to brown a couple minutes in the pan before adding the Saffron threads & water, the remaining chopped Veggies, Lentils, Tomatoes, Broth & Water.  Stir, then cover and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to simmer for 30 minutes, keeping pot partially covered.

Serve topped with fresh cut Cilantro.




Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Recipe:

2 cups Pure Pumpkin Puree

1 box Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle Baking Mix (I assume other Brownie mixes would work just as well)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix Brownie mix & Pumpkin.  Place into 12 cupcake liners into a 12 cup cup muffin tin. Spray liners with Canola oil and then fill mix into the 12 cups.  Bake for 25 minutes, allow to cool 10 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream if desired!


That Pumpkin Brownie was the most decadent delicious ooey gooey treat I have had in a very very long time.  This combination is genius!  No, it wasn't my idea - I saw a recipe mixing Pumpkin Puree with Devil's Food Cake mix while browsing the Hungry Girl 1-2-3 cookbook at the Book Store tonight.  When we got home I scoured the pantry and found Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle Baking Mix, which contains Dutch Chocolate & Chocolate Chips, and just went for it!  Result:  Amazingly delicious dessert!  It is hard to believe there is no Butter, Oil, or Eggs in these; they are truly decadent!

 
  
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