Pesto Kale Pasta

Our local farmer's market has basil at incredible prices. Basil is one of my favorite flavors: it reminds me of summer, gardening, fresh mozzarella and eating outside.

A few weeks ago, we got a tremendous amount of basil and almost immediately processed it into a huge jar of pesto. Our pesto is distinctly garlicky, with a few hunks of parmesan and pine nuts ground in, and plenty of fruity olive oil.

We use it on lots of things: sandwiches, rice bowls, pastas, salads, crackers...

Most recently, we combined it with kale, white beans and pasta to create a quick and easy dinner.

We used white beans because of their neutral flavor and soft texture--a great way to add creaminess to a pasta dish without busting out the dairy. We made a big batch in our slow cooker to use in chili and the leftovers went into this dish.

The next day, I added some fresh corn to my leftovers and it became a whole new meal: crunchy, sweet and lightly summery, instead of warm, creamy and comforting summer flavors. Make it either way.

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Pesto Kale Pasta
serves 4-6


1 lb shaped pasta
1T olive oil
1T chili flakes
15 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of your knife
3 bunches kale, washed, gently dried and chopped (feel free to remove the stems--I think it's a pain)
2 cobs of corn, kernels only (optional)
2c cooked white beans
0.5c pesto

1. Bring copious amounts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente--usually 2-3 minutes short of time indicated on package. RESERVE 2 CUPS OF COOKING LIQUID BEFORE DRAINING.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, lidded pot. (We used our wok. A dutch oven would also work.)
3. Add the chili flakes and garlic, stirring gently for 1-2minutes or until fragrant.
4. Add the kale to the pan, stir/toss to combine, and cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until wilted. If all the liquid evaporates, add 0.25c of pasta water.
5. Stir corn kernels and beans into kale and let warm.
6. Meanwhile, add pesto and 1c of pasta water to pasta pot; bring to a boil and let thicken for 1 minute. Stir in pasta and simmer for 2 minutes. There should still be some sauce left--if not, add pasta water, 0.25c at a time.
7. Gently combine pasta, sauce and vegetables. Serve in warm bowls, with extra parmesan cheese.
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Post-Workout Bars

To help muscles recover after a hard workout, experts recommend consuming calories within 30 minutes of exercise. In particular, they recommend a ratio of 4g of carbs to 1g of protein.

These bars are a little bit high on the fat, thanks to the coconut, but otherwise provide a good ratio of protein to carbs with no funky ingredients. They're a handy, tasty snack to eat with a glass of water post-sweat session.

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Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bars
makes 16 100-calorie bars
adapted from No Meat Athlete


Ingredients:
1.5c black beans (I made these from scratch, feel free to use canned)
0.75c mashed squishy bananas
.25c honey
0.5 lime (zest and juice)
0.25t salt
1.5 oats or other rolled grains
0.75c cocoa powder
0.25c almond meal (or whole wheat flour)
1c shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Combine beans, bananas, honey, lime zest and juice and salt in a food processor until thoroughly combined.
2. Add the oats, cocoa powder and almond meal. Pulse until combined.
3. Add the coconut and pulse a few more times to combine.
4. Spread the mixture in a greased 9x13 pan. Optionally, sprinkle the top with extra coconut and press it in lightly.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes at 350°F. Cool, slice and pack in snack baggies.

Approximate nutrition:
1 bar
103 calories, 20 calories from fat

Total fat: 2.5g
    Saturated: 1g
Total Carbohydrates: 18g
    Dietary fiber: 3.5g
Protein: 3.5g
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10-Minute Dinner

The other day, Dan and I got home at 7:15 starving, with no plans for dinner. So we emptied the fridge and acted fast.

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Quesadillas and Bean Salsa
(serves 2)


Ingredients:
6 corn tortillas
3 oz. shredded cheese
1 can black beans
2 tomatoes
1 can corn (or kernels from one pre-cooked cob that's sitting in the fridge waiting to be made into salsa)
1 lime
1 green onion
1t cumin
cilantro to taste

Directions:
1. Divide the cheese between tortillas and make 6 open-face quesadillas over medium heat. (You'll probably need to do this in batches. Or, you can make 3 normal quesadillas and then peel them open.)
2. While the cheese is melting, drain, rinse and mix the black beans and corn in a large serving bowl. Finely dice the tomatoes and green onion, and add.
3. Add the juice from your lime, sprinkle on the cumin and chopped cilantro, and toss to combine.
4. Serve the quesadillas. Apply salsa liberally. Never apologize for the consequences.
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Dinner in the Microwave: part 2

It's finals week(s) so time is stretched pretty thin right now. Of course, the solution is not to take a blogging break, but to make dinner in the microwave instead!

This is a delicious, protein-packed meal, perfect for two. To make it vegetarian, leave out the chicken, and grate 1-2oz. of cheddar, mozzarella or jack cheese on top of each serving.

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Protein-Packed Microwave Dinner
serves 2


Ingredients:
1c quinoa
2c water
1 15-oz can beans (I used black beans)
6oz. leftover chicken (preferably still cold from the fridge)

Directions:
1. Microwave the quinoa and water in a large, microwave safe container with a loose-fitting lid or plastic wrap for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into small pieces. Rinse and drain the beans. Mix together in a microwave safe container.
3. When the quinoa has finished, take it out of the microwave and put the chicken and beans in for 2.5 minutes.
4. When the chicken/beans are done, put the quinoa back into the microwave for an additional 5 minutes. Set the table while you're waiting.
5. When the quinoa is done, let it sit for 2 more minutes; if your chicken/beans aren't hot enough, put them back in the microwave during this time.
6. Serve with some freshly grated cheese and some sort of spice. (I used Italian seasoning and romano cheese... yum!)
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It turns out, quinoa is much easier (and faster) to make in the microwave than rice.

Chili con Carne

Housesitting this summer, my parents left us a bunch of chorizo and ground beef in the freezer, a lot of beans in the cupboard, and an extensive spice collection. With direct instructions to use up all the food in the house, we decided to make a big batch of chili.

Having never made (or really eaten) chili before, this was a complete experiment. Given that chili is now my go-to soup, I'd say it was also pretty successful.

Hearty chili with plenty of beans

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Chili con Carne

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. chorizo, either sliced or broken up into chunks

1 minced spicy green pepper (whatever your local store has)

1 minced red bell pepper

1 minced jalapeno

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3T chili powder (we used a mix of several kinds; use whatever you have on hand)

1.5T brown sugar

3t dried oregano

3T cumin

1t allspice

1t cloves

1 28oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 15oz. can of pureed tomatoes (we used a food processor; if you don't have one, add more diced tomatoes)

1 15oz can black beans

1 15oz can pinto beans

1 15oz can cannellini beans