This fresh, lemony whole grain pasta dish is loaded with protein and roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
3/4 pound bite-size cauliflower (1/2 medium head)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup julienne slices red onion
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
3/4 cup California walnuts, coarsely broken
4 oz. whole grain pasta
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons drained capers
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups lightly packed baby arugula
2 (4.5-oz.) cans StarKist Selects Solid Yellowfin Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and place on a foil- lined baking sheet; roast for 10 minutes. Stir in onion and tarragon and roast for 5 minutes more. Stir in walnuts and roast for 5 minutes more or until cauliflower is lightly browned and walnuts are toasted.
While vegetables are roasting, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well, then place back in pan. Stir in lemon juice, capers, garlic salt and pepper. Add arugula and tuna and toss lightly to mix.
2 Racks of lamb, 8 bone each, trimmed and frenched
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons Olive oil, use divided
½ cup Shelled, roasted, salted pistachios
3 cups Mint leaves, loosely packed
3 cloves Garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° F. Heat an oven proof skillet large enough to hold both racks of lamb until hot over medium-high heat. If you do not have a skillet large enough for both racks then place a roasting pan in the oven to heat up as the oven does.
Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat one tablespoon of oil in the pan and sear the lamb on all sides for about 2 minutes per side. Let the lamb cool a little.
Put the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to grind them. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the mint, garlic, zest and juice of lemon. Process until it turns into a paste. Spread the paste on the meat-side of the lamb racks pressing down firmly. Place the lamb racks back into the skillet (or roasting pan) bone-side down. Roast for 20 minutes for medium rare, 25 minutes for medium. Cover the lamb with foil and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting the lamb into chops, use a sharp, thin knife to carve.
Place basil, pistachios and garlic cloves in a food processor; pulse until a rough puree.
Add extra virgin olive oil and continue to pulse until oil, basil and pistachios have all combined into a smooth puree. Transfer sauce to a large work bowl; fold in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
FOR POTATO GNOCCHI:
Brush each potato lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and bake in oven until tender, for about one hour.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer which yields about 3 cups of sieved potatoes. On a clean work surface, mound sieved potatoes with a well in the middle. In the well place egg yolks, 2 cups of flour and salt.
Mix all the ingredients together and make sure to dust work surface with additional flour as needed to avoid sticking.
Once potato dough has come together, knead until smooth and even, with no visible bits of egg or flour. Keeping work surface and dough lightly floured, cut dough into 4 even pieces.
With hands, roll each piece into a rope until diameter is about ½ inch thick.
With a knife, cut down the rope to form ½ inch by ½ inch squares.
Dust gnocchi with flour and continue until all dough has been formed into gnocchi.
Discard any irregular shaped gnocchi, as it will not cook evenly.
Place gnocchi on a lightly floured sheet pan until ready to cook and serve.
Bring a large pot of water to a soft boil. Drop gnocchi into the water, work in batches if necessary, and cook until all gnocchi float to the surface of the water, about 1-2 minutes.
Remove gnocchi from water and place in a large mixing bowl. Toss with pistachio and basil pesto sauce to taste, season with salt and pepper and serve while hot with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.
In a two quart sauce pot, sauté onions and tortilla pieces until they are lightly browned. Add tomato, garlic, and cilantro and sauté until wilted and fragrant. Add stock or broth and ground pistachios and simmer and stir for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool long enough to work with.
In a blender combine sauce and cleaned poblanos. Puree until smooth and season with salt to taste.
Heat and serve in a warm ceramic bowl. Garnish with crema and cotija cheese. Serve with warm thick corn tortillas.
These pecan chicken meatballs pack a lot of flavor and can be served alongside a dipping sauce for an appetizer or over your favorite pasta as an easy weeknight main the whole family will love. Recipe submitted by Aubrey Cota, Real Housemoms.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup raw pecan pieces or pecan halves, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, spinach, lemon juice, egg, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne (if adding), and 1/2 cup pecans.
Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
Roll chicken mixture into meatballs, a little over 1 tablespoon of mixture each.
Place reserved 1/2 cup pecans in a bowl. Roll meatballs in pecans to coat, and then place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
Serve warm with sauces for dipping or over pasta of your choice as a main dish. Makes about 25 meatball. Serves 5.
This lighter take on a teriyaki noodle bowl is a quick and easy crowd-pleasing meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Featuring thinly sliced strips of pork tenderloin, bell peppers, matchstick carrots, spiral zucchini noodles and walnuts all tossed in a simple teriyaki sauce. Recipe by Beth Stark, RDN, LDN.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1-pound lean pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and cut into ½-1-inch thick strips
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1-1/4 cups shredded or matchstick-cut carrots (about 4 ounces)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-pound prepared zucchini noodles
1/4 cup lower sodium teriyaki sauce with 1 tablespoon water mixed in
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
Instructions
Heat 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of the minced garlic cloves and half of the pork; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until browned and 145°F. Set aside. Repeat with 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, remaining half of minced garlic cloves and pork; set aside.
To the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, bell pepper, carrots and walnuts; cook and stir until vegetables are tender; about 3-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low; add zucchini noodles, pork and combined teriyaki sauce and water to the skillet; use tongs to coat mixture evenly with sauce; cook 5 minutes until heated through. Garnish with green onions and serve.
A fresh Atlantic salmon is gently drizzled with olive oil, lightly coated with a sweet honey and topped with finely crushed pistachios. Recipe by Chef Jesse Brune.
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces of fresh Atlantic salmon (a little more than half a pound)*
½ tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/4 cup pistachios, finely crushed and chopped
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut salmon in half to make two 5-ounce pieces. If salmon has skin still attached, leave it on to lock in extra moisture.
Gently drizzle olive oil on salmon, leaving an extremely light coat.
Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Pour honey over salmon halves and gently rub honey into meat using the back of a spoon.
Spread chopped pistachios over flat surface of plate and place glazed portion of the fish onto the pistachios, generously covering surface.
Place pistachio-covered salmon into an oven-safe dish or on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Place in heated oven for 10 minutes or until done (shouldn’t take more than 12 minutes max).
To make sure the salmon is done, gently press surface of fish with a fork. There should be a firm bounce.
Sheet pan dinners make for easy weeknight meal-prep and clean-up. Prepare simple pecan-crusted salmon fillets and Brussels sprouts and place on a single baking sheet for a full meal that’s prepped and cooked in just over 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1/3 cup raw pecan pieces
4 (4 to 6-ounce) salmon filets, skins, removed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup raw pecan halves
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and lightly grease a large baking sheet pan. Place pecan pieces in a wide, shallow dish.
Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and brush top sides with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Press salmon fillets top-side-down into the finely chopped pecans to coat. Arrange salmon fillets in the center of prepared baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, combine Brussels sprouts, remaining olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pecans halves, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine, then transfer to the sheet pan in a single layer, not touching the salmon.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until Brussels sprouts are fork-tender and salmon is cooked through.
While salmon is baking: in a medium sauce pan bring balsamic vinegar to a boil, continue to boil, stirring throughout, for about 10 minutes until liquid has reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir in honey, and allow to cool until ready to serve. Drizzle over salmon and Brussels sprouts just before serving.
Pistachio-powered portabella mushroom. Recipe by Jeremy Jones, professional snowboarder and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.
INGREDIENTS
3 Large portabella mushrooms, whole
Enough olive oil to generously coat and drizzle on mushrooms
1 ¼ cups Shelled pistachios, chopped
3 Garlic cloves
Sprinkle tops with Hemp seeds to taste (option)
Salt, pepper and dried herbs like fresh basil or parsley (option)
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove stems and wash mushroom caps. Coat all sides with olive oil. Finely chop one garlic clove per mushroom. Sprinkle inside the mushrooms. Coarsely chop pistachios and fill each cap to the top. Generously drizzle olive oil on top of chopped pistachios.
Bake at 400 degrees, Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.
Serve as a main dish or slice into bite-size chunks for an appetizer.
The Italians are renowned for incorporating nuts into pasta, whether pesto or a nut and breadcrumb, parmesan crumble. Often meals in Italy won’t have meat, and the addition of nuts in a vegetable pasta adds protein and lots of other valuable nutrients. The key is finding the right nut for the right vegetable – Brazil nuts are wonderful with mushrooms, peas, cauliflower, broccoli and so much more. Discover your own perfect match!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound preferred pasta (fettuccini, pappardelle, tagliatelle or other long flat pasta are best)
Olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts
4 sprigs sage, leaves sliced, saving 4-6 whole
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 large or 2 small shallot, diced
14 ounces wild mushrooms – chanterelle, maitake, oyster, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook pasta according to directions on packet. Drain and toss through a little olive oil.
Clean the mushrooms and tear into large pieces.
Heat a large fry pan over medium high and add the Brazil nuts. Toss a few minutes to just brown (you’ll smell them becoming aromatic). Transfer to a bowl and toss with the chopped sage, parmesan and lemon zest. Set aside.
Heat a splash of oil in the same pan and fry the whole sage leaves for a few seconds until crisp, it happens quickly. Place on a paper towel.
Add the shallot to the sage scented oil in the pan and cook over medium heat for 1 minute until just softening.
Add the mushrooms and turn heat to high. Cook, stirring till mushrooms start to soften, 4-5 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss through.
Add pasta and Brazil nut mixture and mix until just warmed through adding a little splash of wine if mix is dry.
