Tag: basil pesto
Penne with Basil Pesto and Cremini Mushrooms
- 2 (10 ounces) packs cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms. Saute on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, till the mushrooms are golden brown. Add salt and turn the heat off.
- ¼ cup fresh or store bought basil pesto
- ½ pound cooked penne with ½ cup spare pasta water
Add the pesto, penne and the pasta water to the mushrooms. Stir well without turning the heat on. Check for seasonings and serve.
Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach
This is a super healthy, quick and delicious dish. Did I mention it is a one pot meal as well? Yes it is. It has cremini mushrooms sauteed with whole wheat penne. I add ready made or homemade pesto to boost the flavor and keep the cooking down to a minimum. I start off with prosciutto and shallots. I then add the mushrooms and pesto. All the flavors are very bold. There are a few ingredients in this pasta but all of them add a great punch of flavor- that is the key to a successful dish.
Once the pasta is cooked al dente, I add it to the mix including some of the pasta water. The starchy water creates a delicious sauce and thickens the pasta.
I then add loads of fresh baby spinach. I love using baby spinach in my salads and pastas. I always have it in the fridge. My daughter doesn’t like salad dressing- so when I make a salad for my husband and I, I give her a hand full of baby spinach as her ‘salad’. She eats it up and claims it to be her favorite vegetable.
The pasta is delicious and so healthy…. make it for the family through the week…
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Turkey and Pesto Panini
This is a quick lunch on the weekend or even a quick dinner through the week. My husband loves turkey sandwiches but I usually don’t end up making too many sandwiches at home and so he end up eating them for lunch at work. I am not sure why- but sandwiches don’t come to mind when I think of lunch- and then I wonder why my daughter doesn’t like them. I never gave her a sandwich while she was a baby- so she never got used to one.
I bought sliced turkey since I had a large loaf of bake at home baguette in the fridge. I planned on making turkey pesto sandwiches for my hubby. My initial thought was to bake the bread first and then assemble the sandwich- but then I thought of assembling it first and then cooking it on a grill pan. I used another heavy pan to press down on the sandwich while all the ingredients melted together. Speaking of melting- I also had mozzarella cheese in the fridge which went perfectly with the pesto and the turkey.
I served a few potato chips and a green salad with the delicious sandwich. It was really good- I had a few bites…
Next time you are in a bind and don’t know what to make for lunch- try a turkey and pesto panini.
- 2 teaspoons extra light olive oil
- One (6 inch) piece of bake at home baguette
- 3 thin sliced herb turkey
- 3 thick slices of mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto
- 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves
- Fresh black pepper
Heat a grill pan with the olive oil. Slice the baguette in half. Spread the mayonnaise and pesto evenly on both sides. Spread the cheese and turkey slices. Add the basil leaves and black pepper on top. Place the second slice on top and place it on the grill pan. Press the panini down with another heavy pan or anything heavy. Brown the sandwich on both sides pressing well for 5 minutes each. Cut in half and serve.
Alaskan Cod with Spaghetti and Arugula
This meal is ideal to if you are trying to be healthy for the new year. I recently wrote and article for the New York Times Local blog and featured this recipe. I was trying to follow a few new eating habits for the New Year and this recipe was a fabulous way to begin.
I tried using brown rice pasta for the first time and it was a big hit. The consistency is a bit different- it is much softer, mushier and so you have to be careful while cooking. You need to use ample water when cooking the pasta. My husband and daughter were thrilled to eat this spaghetti. I thought the taste was different and I have to say, I missed the ‘pasta’ taste but since I had covered the pasta with some delicious homemade tomato sauce- it was just fine.
The mound of pesto covered arugula was a genius idea- yes I am not very modest… Anyway, the greens on top of the pasta looked beautiful and tasted even better. Since arugula is tough enough to be cooked, I placed the simply cooked piece of fish right on top. It looked like a fancy meal served at an expensive restaurant.
I was very pleased with myself. The best part was that I didn’t feel grossly full after eating the meal. I skipped the wine and had a glass of water.
Try the sauteed cod with the brown rice pasta with healthy arugula on top- it is outstanding.
- 3 to 4 cod fillets, about 5 ounces each
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a wide, non-stick frying pan. Add the fish filets and sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side on high heat or, till the fish is opaque and flaky. Keep warm.
- Half pound brown rice spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 2 cups fresh or store bought tomato sauce
- Heat the tomato sauce in a wide saucepan. Add the cooked pasta in the sauce and mix well. Keep warm.
- 3 to 4 cups fresh arugula (depending on how many fish filets you have)
- 4 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated (with a vegetable peeler)
Add the arugula in medium bowl. Add the pesto and mix well. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Serve the dish by placing a serving of spaghetti in a wide bowl. Top the pasta with a cup of arugula mixed with pesto and cheese. Then, top with the cod fillet.