You can tell that I am a little late for the one-pot pasta party…but it is okay. I just didn’t think it would be as good as the traditionally cooked pasta is. So I decided to give it a try on a busy night and yes, I get it. Dinner was done in no time and the clean up was so quick! Not to mention how delicious the pasta turned out. I like my pasta al dente, when I tried one bucatini to see if they were ready, I almost fainted, they were just to die for! It reminded me of my mom’s fideua and to think of it, fideua is also pasta made in one pot, but that will be material for another post.

I am sure the key here is that you are basically cooking the pasta in the sauce or cooking both at the same time, the flavors integrate amazingly. The parmesan rind also plays an important part. I always freeze the parmesan rinds once we finish the cheese. They are a great addition for minestrone, soups and sauces. I use a piece of parmesan rind and chicken or vegetable broth when I want to give the food that flavor that makes you think the dish has been cooking for hours, when in fact it hasn’t.

I chose bucatini this time since it is a thick spaghetti and has a hole running through it, so that all the sauce’s flavors are going to stay right there? Yum! I am not a big fan of a strong garlic flavor, I find it overwhelming. So I sauté the onions and the garlic for a couple minutes before I added the rest of the ingredients. That helped develop the sweetness of the onions and garlic.

And then, in about 10 minutes, easy and quickly the bucatini were done and it was exquisite. The pasta had that stewy flavor from the garlic and onions and the rind of parmesan cheese. It was absolutely divine and in less than 20 minutes I managed to mise en place and make dinner. I hope that you try this dish, I am sure you will love it!

Here is what you need…

One Pot Bucatini Pomodoro

Yield: 4 full servings la

Ingredients

12 ounces bucatini pasta
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, I used sunset medley
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, whole
1 ounce piece of parmesan rind
2 tbsp of tomato paste
1 sprig basil, plus fresh leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

In a large sided skillet sauté onions and garlic with olive oil and butter for a couple of minutes.

Whisk tomato paste in the water to dissolve and mix.

Add pasta, basil, remaining olive oil, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, water and tomato paste mixture and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add tomatoes 2 minutes before pasta is ready, about 8 minutes after it starts boiling. Stir and turn pasta frequently until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Remove garlic clove, parmesan rind and wilted basil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

You can add red pepper flakes to this recipe. Just add 1/2 tbsp to the water or broth.

Salads

Coleslaw with Mango

By Christie

I remember loving this salad many years ago when I lived in Venezuela. Coleslaw with little cubes of sweet mango, a citrus dressing, and garnished with cilantro. It provided an excellent crunch and balance as a side dish.

The addition of mango to the salad and lemon to the dressing brings a tropical and fresh twist to the traditional coleslaw.

Mains

Roasted Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze and Rice-Orzo Pilaf

By Christie

Salmon is one of your best friends (if is not it should be) for many reasons. Not only it is healthy and delicious, it is easy to cook and it takes no time to be on your table, it also makes you look so good when friends are over – like you were cooking for hours!

The Honey-Mustard Glaze in this recipe, combined with lemon and thyme gives this dish such a subtle sweet flavor and once it gets caramelized in the oven, mixed with all the juices of the salmon….it is scrumptious! And for this glaze you probably have all the ingredients already in your pantry. Some honey, country dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, a lemon and fresh thyme, that’s it. If by any chance you also have some capers, just throw them in there…yum!

It takes 5 minutes to prepare the glaze and the baking time will take approximately 20 minutes, depending on your oven and how done and caramelized you like the salmon, the sauce and the lemon.

I paired it with rice-orzo pilaf. It had been a while since we had rice-orzo pilaf last and honestly we really love it. It took me less than 40 minutes to have all this dish ready and the clean-up process was as simple as it was to cook dinner (this is one of the reasons why I love to bake).

When I lived in Miami, I used to have lunch at this Colombian cafe sometimes and I have been missing their arroz verde (green rice with parsley) and arroz con fideos (rice with noodles) so I decided to mix both recipes and let me tell you…it came out a-ma-zing.

This rice is super easy to prepare and it takes no time at all. Just toast the orzo in the pot (or noodles, whichever one you like better) with butter and olive oil, add some onion, garlic and sauté all together with the rice until they get translucent. Add some broth with processed or chopped parsley and that’s it, let it simmer for about 20 minutes, voila.

Rice is one of my favorite side dishes. I always make a little extra so that the next day I can make fried rice with chicken and veggies or just rice cakes with veggies and parmesan cheese.

Salmon recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Roasted Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze and Rice-Orzo Pilaf

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Salmon

1 lb skin-on salmon fillet

1/4 country Dijon mustard

2 tbsp honey

12 to 14 thyme springs plus 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Salt and Pepper

2 tbsp of capers, rinsed (optional)

Rice-Orzo Pilaf

1 cup flat italian Parsley

1/4 cup Orzo

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 small clove of garlic, whole

1/2 cup onion, chopped

3/4 cup rice

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter (optional)

Instructions

Salmon: Preheat oven to 450 ° Fahrenheit.

Cut and place parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Slice the lemon very thin. Whisk the mustard, honey and vinegar in a small bowl.

Place the springs of thyme on the baking sheet and place the salmon fillet on top of the springs, skin down. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and spread the mustard glaze on top. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves and 2 tbsp of capers.

Bake in center of oven for approximately 20 minutes or until salmon is done and lemons are caramelized.

Rice-Orzo Pilaf: Process parsley with 1 cup of vegetable broth and set aside. Toast orzo in a medium pot with 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil at medium high heat. Add onion and garlic (whole clove) and stir until translucent. Add rice and sauté for about 1 or 2 minutes until the rice is coated with the oil. Add 1 cup of the vegetable broth with parsley and the remaining cup of broth. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated and rice is tender. Stir with a fork, remove the clove of garlic and add 1 tbsp of butter (optional).

Salads

Grilled Chicken Salad with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette

By Christie

I have been very unsuccessfully looking for Tarragon infused Olive Oil. Everywhere I went there were all kinds of olive oil such as lemon, basil, hazelnut, etc. I wanted to make a roasted chicken salad with almonds and tarragon and the Tarragon Oil will be a very nice touch. I found walnut oil instead, and it has been a great discovery for me. I bought it thinking about that zucchini bread that I have not been able to master as of yet, yes, that one.

Whoever said the secret is on the sauce, was absolutely right. I didn’t know that walnut oil would be so great on a salad dressing. It gives the vinaigrette a nutty, rich and creamy taste. A very distinctive and scrumptious flavor.

We always try to have a salad as an entree at least once a week to keep things light around here. This salad can be served as a start dish, an entree or a side dish. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

I start by rubbing the chicken with the Balsamic Fig Dressing and grilling it at medium high heat on the skillet until it turns a little brown. Then I let it simmer for a few minutes with vegetable or chicken broth, covered, to make sure it cooks through. Once it is done, I turn the heat to med-high again to reduce the liquid and set it aside to rest – that way it will keep the juices in and will be tender when I cut it.

What about those kumato sweet, grape brown tomatoes….I never knew they existed until we moved to California, what a joy to have found them! Similar to the joy of knowing that Game of Thrones will be airing on the 24th – just 12 days left but who is counting. I especially miss Ned Stark as it seems as if with him integrity died in Westeros. The night is dark and full or terrors…ooooohhhhh. It really sounds like I am a fan or something, blah.

Back to the salad, I like to make the vinaigrette a little ahead of time, it is very quick and if you use a mason jar is even simpler, just pour, add and shake.

The secret to a well seasoned salad is to dress it as you build it and toss very well.

I add the greens and the tomatoes first and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, add a drizzle of dressing and start tossing. Add the rest of the ingredients and then top it with the chicken pieces on top.

Below is the full recipe to make this salad.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette

Yield: 2 servings as entree
4 servings as side dish

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

1/2 green apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup or about 10 sweet brown grape tomatoes (kumato)

cut in halves

4 handfuls of mixed greens

1/2 cup of walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup of vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 cup of goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 full tbsp of walnut oil

2 tbsp of balsamic fig dressing + 2 tbsp to rub the chicken

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

Season chicken with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and rub 1/2 tbsp of balsamic fig dressing on each side. Grill chicken at medium high on the skillet for about 4 minutes on each side or until it turns caramelized. Add the vegetable broth and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for a few minutes jut to make sure it cooks through. Turn the heat to med-high for a couple of minutes or until the liquid is very thick and almost evaporated. Set aside on the board.

Toast the walnuts in a small skillet at medium heat for a few minutes, let them cool and chop roughly. Core and slice the apple and sprinkle some fresh lemon juice.

Place the mixed greens, the tomatoes, apple, walnuts and goat cheese in a large salad bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper and toss. Add the vinaigrette and toss until the salad is coated. Slice the chicken and place on top of the salad. Drizzle some dressing on top and garnish with walnuts.

Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Place the the olive oil, walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and balsamic fig dressing in a mason jar or small bowl, season with salt and pepper and shake or whisk until emulsified or mixed.

Mains

Flatbread and Roasted Carrots

By Christie

Flatbread is part of our grocery list, it is just always there. We have flatbread at home at least once a week, especially after discovering Naan Bread. Sometimes, we like to have just a salad for dinner and the bread is the right side dish for that menu.

I find it particularly easy and quick to make as an appetizer when you have friends over having drinks and also as a “Margherita” on pizza night. Today, I am sharing one flatbread recipe, a version of Mediterranean flavors that I created since Guy is not a big fan of olives. Extremely fast, easy to prepare and even faster and easier to eat!

I also think that is a good alternative for a vegetarian night – like for meatless Mondays. I begin the process by spreading some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and a pepper so that the bread is already seasoned. Then I used pesto and parmesan as the base and started building up the flavors, adding artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and finished it with goat and mozzarella cheese on top.

The flatbread goes in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes and in the meantime you can prepare a good salad or some veggies.

As an example of a good vegetable side dish, while checking out in Target last week I saw this magazine (Martha Stewart Living) featuring different ways to include yogurt in your meals – not only as a dressing – and I felt curious to try some of their recipes. One of them was Roasted Carrots with Parsley Yogurt, it was so good that I thought I would share it with you as well.

The carrots turned out delicious and were a great compliment to the flatbread. I honestly liked them with just the carrots and sauce better than the feta included so try it multiple ways! Overall it was a delicious meal and a creative way to serve carrots that you may not have thought of before.

Flatbread and Roasted Carrots

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Ingredients

Roasted Carrots with Parsley Yogurt

1 lb of thin carrots, peeled and cut and halved lengthwise

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and a little extra for serving

1/2 cup of fresh italian parsley, chopped

2 tbsp of mint, chopped (optional)

2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup of feta cheese

Flatbread

2 Pieces of Naan Bread – regular size

1/2 cup of pesto

1/2 cup or artichoke hearts, diced

1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup of 4 italian cheese or mozzarella cheese

Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Roasted Carrots: Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit.

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, turning them once, for approximately 15-20 minutes or until brown and tender. Set aside.

Process 2 tbsp of olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of salt and mint until you obtain a green paste in the food processor. Add yogurt and process until pureed. Spread yogurt sauce in the bottom of a plate, serve the carrots and sprinkle some feta cheese on top. Drizzle a little olive oil.

Flatbread: Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit or reduce it from 425° to 400° Fahrenheit (from above recipe).

Spread 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on each bread (I used a brush) bubble side up. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Spread the pesto with a spoon all over both breads. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese, add the diced artichoke hearts and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Top with goat cheese and shredded italian cheese or mozzarella.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and the flatbread is toasted.

Mains

Turkey Burgers

By Christie

Every time I make Turkey Burgers there is a happy feeling all over my house. I am not sure if it is the grill, the smell of thyme or it is just the only time my husband is in “charge” of the kitchen.

We have this dynamic, where I pour the ingredients in the bowl while he mixes them and shapes the hamburgers, then he starts the grilling process. It is the best way for us, just having one handling the raw meat and the other one moving around.

Now the truth, I don’t seem to be able to make perfect rounds with my hands. I have abilities for certain artistic manual things like wrapping presents and even drawing but round items are not my thing. I also for the life of me cannot make decent arepas without cheating with an automatic toaster that shapes them impeccably. I must be missing the critical burger/arepas/round shaping chromosome in my genes!

Well, the same happens when I make burgers. They look like a clay ball flattened by a 5-year-old, you can even see the indentation of each one of my fingers going through the ordeal of trying to make the perfect circle. Then I try to make them flat with the spatula so that they will cook evenly, anyway it becomes a mess. However, they may not be beautiful but they are super delicious! On the other hand Guy, my husband, can make the most beautiful round burgers, also cooked to perfection. Still, he can’t wrap presents or draw……..just saying.

I came up with this recipe when I discovered how well thyme and turkey work together while making turkey picadillo. So one day I had planned to make turkey burgers and part of my ingredients (from my mom’s recipe) includes 1 egg and breadcrumbs. Then when I had everything lined up to start cooking I realized I didn’t have any eggs, it was time to get creative so I used a little olive oil and a little mayo to replace the egg to bind all ingredients. The combination was fantastic! The burgers are very moist and soft and the thyme gives them a very interesting herb lemony background flavor.

I like them served with the typical bun, tomato and lettuce. But quite frankly I love them just grilled or with some caramelized onions on top, they are exquisite. I really hope you like them!

Below is the recipe with the details. Enjoy!

Turkey Burger

Yield: 4 burgers (medium)

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

(I use low sodium Lea & Perrins)

1 1/2 tbsp Mayonnaise (I use Saffola)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of fresh thyme (1/2 tsp dry)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup panko or plain breadcrumbs

Instructions

Place all ingredients except the turkey in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk and add the turkey. Mix with your hands until all ingredients are mixed evenly. Try to hand shape each burger avoiding to overwork the mix – this has the tendency of toughen the meat.

Place the “perfectly”round burgers on the grill at medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes, each side or until well done.

Breakfast

Spring Quiche or Quiche Primavera

By Christie

I don’t know if it happens to you, but this week has gone extremely fast for me. Maybe it is because of Easter, spring cleaning or what…Wednesday snuck up on me and I didn’t have anything planned for Easter brunch.

Then I thought, who doesn’t like quiche? I guess it all depends on what is in the filling.

Quiche is one of my favorite things, like Frittata. There is nothing that I like more than brunch or italian food (after of course, a good toast with butter in the morning). But honestly, quiche is great for dinner, lunch or at anytime. It is delicious hot, warm or at room temperature…just pair it with a fresh crunchy salad and you are set.

I tried to come up with a different version with a variety of ingredients like spinach and ricotta. I love that combination on tortellini or shells. Besides, every time I go grocery shopping I can almost hear the cherry tomatoes calling my name.

So I decided to add some veggies, onions and leeks for flavor and ricotta for richness, that way I could reduce one egg from the original recipe. Also, I used reduced fat ricotta and fat-free half and half to see if I could make it a little lighter in calories without sacrificing any flavor. The key was the ricotta, it kept the quiche light and creamy.

It takes no time to prepare quiche, but what usually takes longer is to make the pie crust from scratch and the overall baking process. I find the store-bought crust extremely good and a time saver.

Spring Quiche or Quiche Primavera

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 16oz pie crust

1 leek, chopped

2 cups of baby spinach, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, diced

8 cherry tomatoes medley (orange, red, yellow), cut in halves

1/2 cup low fat ricotta

1/2 cup reduced fat 4 cheese italian, shredded (you can replace with shredded mozzarella and parmesan)

pinch of nutmeg

3 eggs

3/4 cup of fat free half and half

1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper

1 tbsp of olive oil + 1/2 tbsp of butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Pinch the crust with a fork making little holes so that the crust will not rise. Bake for 5 – 6 minutes.

Place butter and olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion and leeks. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and sauté at medium high heat for a few minutes, until they start to get translucent. Add the spinach and toss at medium heat until it is wilted. Set aside to cool down.

Place the eggs, the half and half, the ricotta, the shredded cheese, the salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk together until mixed. Add the cooled mix of spinach, onions and leeks and stir until incorporated. Pour this mix in the pie crust.

Place the tomatoes cut in halves on top of the quiche (face up). Place quiche in the oven on a baking sheet in the middle rack. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until you stick a wooden pin in the center and it comes out dry and the center is set. Sprinkle a little bit of the shredded cheeses on top and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes until melted.

Let it rest for about 10 minutes after baking before serving.

Notes

Please note that time and temperature may vary depending on your oven.

Mains

Mushroom Sauce over Polenta

By Christie

We are on episode 9 of House of Cards and I don’t know what are we going to watch once we’re done with the season. I guess wait another endless year! At least Netflix puts it out there for you to watch it at your own discretion. The problem is to be as weak as we are and not being able to put down the remote without hitting ‘another one’.

Fortunately, Game of Thrones will be airing soon. I always say that I won’t start watching it until the season is over but I can’t since I can hear my husband watching it in the living room. And then not knowing what is going on with all those people?! Who killed who?! Who died and then didn’t? I will try harder this time. Can’t wait for Game of Thrones though. For such a strong person I am a very weak woman (ha!).

I have been feeling like having something warm, homey, healthy and vegetarian lately. Mushroom sauce for me is one of the basics. It goes well with almost any dish…beef (if you eat beef), chicken, turkey, over rice, polenta and even pasta! This sauce could easily be the base of a good mushroom soup, just adjusting a few ingredients here and there and adding some more.

I paired this mushroom sauce with creamy polenta for this post. The combination is delicious. The creaminess of the polenta and the sweetness and richness of the mushroom sauce…Yum!

This mushroom sauce is very low in fat so I went a little overboard with the polenta. I usually just add a little butter and parmesan, but this time I used mascarpone cheese. I can’t even begin to tell you the difference that it made, the flavor is beyond tasty.

Below is what you need to make this dish. Enjoy!

Mushroom Sauce over Polenta

Yield
Sauce: 3 - 4 Servings
Polenta: 2 Servings

Ingredients

For the Mushroom Sauce:

8 oz of white mushrooms, sliced

7 oz of cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)

1/4 cup of red wine (merlot) or marsala wine

1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar reduction

1/2 cup of vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp fresh italian parsley

1 tsp of salt + 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)

Polenta (For 2 servings)

2 cups of water

8 tbsp Polenta

1/2 tsp of salt + a sprinkle of pepper

2 tbsp (a little less) of mascarpone cheese

Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place 1 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet at medium heat. Add the shallots and green onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until it starts to get translucent. Add the remaining tbsp of olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Mix and cook until mushrooms start to brown.

In a small bowl whisk the arrowroot or cornstarch with the broth – add a full tbsp or less depending on the desired consistency of the sauce. Add the balsamic vinegar and wine to the mushrooms. Scratch borders of the skillet and stir with the spoon until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the broth and arrowroot mixture and stir until starts to thicken and lower the heat for a few minutes. Set aside.

For the polenta, add water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually add the polenta, constantly whisking and stirring with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken – I used precooked polenta, which takes 5 – 7 minutes. Once the polenta is thick and mixed, add the mascarpone cheese and stir until melted and integrated to the polenta. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.

Notes

Serve the polenta, sprinkle some parmesan cheese. Pour the mushroom sauce on top and add some parsley. Enjoy!

Mains

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes and Creamy Pesto

By Christie

A couple of weeks ago we went to this italian restaurant in Palo Alto. I had the chicken ravioli with pesto and they were good but… the sauce was a little too much on the heavy side.

However, it gave me the idea of making my own light creamy pesto sauce. After making the sauce I had to have something to put it on and wanted something fresh and light for spring so I decided to combine chicken, roasted tomatoes on Zucchini Noodles!

This recipe was done faster than I thought it would. I used the Spiralizer so the preparation of the zucchinis was very quick and easy.

We like our Zucchini Noodles ‘al dente”, like pasta. Zucchini has the tendency of releasing water when you cook them so I try to cook the Zucchini Noodles first on the skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once they are done just drain the excess liquid and set them aside.

While the tomatoes were roasting in the oven I made the sauce. This time I had store bought pesto which made the process even simpler. Once the chicken is seared and cooked everything comes together in no time!

I placed the Zucchini Noodles in the skillet, added the chicken, the roasted tomatoes and the sauce. Sauté for a few minutes and voila.

I served it with shaved parmesan on top with toasted pine nuts and it was delicious! It is a really filling dish when you are trying to eat lighter. This recipe could perfectly feed 4 or 5. We were 2 and had leftovers just for one so I guess my husband thought it was fantastic:)

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes and Creamy Pesto

Yields: 4 - 5 servings

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders

1 1/2 cups of grape tomatoes

2 tsp of dry thyme

3 to 4 oz or 2 bit tbsp of good Pesto (I used Buitoni)

Salt and Pepper

3 tbsp of sour cream

1/4 cup of vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 – 3 tbsp olive oil

Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

Place tomatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper and add 1 tsp of thyme. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Once the tomatoes burst, take them out and peel them since the skin is lose and pulls off easily.

In the meantime, cut the zucchini into noodles in the Spiralizer. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil and the zucchini noodles in a big skillet and start cooking at medium high heat with some salt and pepper. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes or until the zucchini are tender but still crunchy. Discard all the excess liquid released by the zucchini and set them aside in a bowl.

In a small sauce pan place the vegetable broth, the pesto and stir on medium low heat. Add the sour cream and stir until is warmed through and mixed together.

Place the chicken tenders in the skillet, with the remaining tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper and the rest of the thyme – about 1 tsp. Cook in medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Take the chicken out and cut the chicken in bite size pieces.

In the same skillet, add the zucchini noodles, the chicken, the roasted tomatoes and then add the sauce. Stir at medium high heat until all ingredients are heated through.

Notes

Serve with shaved or grated parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts!

One Pot Bucatini Pomodoro

Yield: 4 full servings la

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Roasted Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze and Rice-Orzo Pilaf

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette

Yield: 2 servings as entree 4 servings as side dish

Ingredients

Instructions

Flatbread and Roasted Carrots

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Turkey Burger

Yield: 4 burgers (medium)

Ingredients

Instructions

Spring Quiche or Quiche Primavera

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Mushroom Sauce over Polenta

Yield Sauce: 3 - 4 Servings Polenta: 2 Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken, Roasted Tomatoes and Creamy Pesto

Yields: 4 - 5 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Yield: 2 servings as entree
4 servings as side dish

Yield
Sauce: 3 - 4 Servings
Polenta: 2 Servings