Kale Minestrone with Pistou

This recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine.

Ingredients:

Minestrone

3 sprigs oregano

3 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped (optional)

1 onion, chopped

1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained

1 Parmesan rind (about 2 ounces; optional)

3 cups cooked cannellini beans, cooking liquid reserved if desired, or two 15-oz. cans, rinsed

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into ½” pieces

½ bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 1” pieces

Pistou and assembly

2 garlic cloves

1 cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt

Directions:

Minestrone

1. Tie oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine.

2. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add pancetta, if using, and cook, stirring often, until browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add onion, leek, carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and carrots are tender, 10–12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then herb bundle, Parmesan rind, if using, and 6 cups water or reserved bean cooking liquid, or a combination. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded, 20–25 minutes. Add kale and beans; cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Discard Parmesan rind and herb bundle.

4. Do Ahead: Soup can be made 2 days ahead (or 2 months if frozen). Let cool; transfer to airtight containers and chill.

Pistou and assembly

1. Pulse garlic and basil in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil, Parmesan, and lemon zest; season with salt. Serve soup topped with pistou.

Raw and Roasted Dinner Salad

This recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine.

It involves a little bit of labour…but boy is it worth the effort!!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large delicata squash (about 20 oz.) - or use peeled butternut squash (promise it works!!)

1 15-oz. can chickpeas

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 small head of red cabbage (about 1 lb.)

2 lemons

1 small garlic clove

⅓ cup tahini

1 Tbsp. honey

1 large Asian pear or sweet-tart apple, such as Pink Lady

½ cup pecan halves

4 oz. feta

Directions:

1. Place a rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 475°. First things first: Prepare your squash for roasting. Delicata is our favorite winter squash—it's sweet, sturdy, and the peel is not only edible but delicious—but you can use an equal quantity of (peeled!) butternut or acorn squash here if you want. Slice 1 large delicata squash in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove seeds. Cut each half again lengthwise, then crosswise into 1" pieces. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Pour 1 15-oz. can chickpeas into a colander, rinse, and shake off excess water. Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels. (The drier they are, the crispier they will become, so don't skip this step!) Add to pan with squash.

3. Add 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tsp. kosher salt to pan with squash mixture and toss to combine.

4. Roast squash and chickpeas, tossing once halfway through with a spatula, until well browned and chickpeas are crispy, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan about 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cut 1 small head of red cabbage into quarters and remove core. Slice quarters crosswise into ¾"-thick strips. Transfer to a large bowl.

6. Juice 2 lemons into a small bowl. Pour 3 Tbsp. juice over cabbage; reserve remaining juice in bowl.

7. Add 1 tsp. kosher salt and remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil to bowl with cabbage and massage with your hands until cabbage is beginning to wilt. This takes some of the edge off of the cabbage, softening it slightly—taste as you go, and stop when it's as crisp-tender as you like it. Let sit until ready to use.

8. Finely grate 1 small garlic clove into bowl with reserved lemon juice. Whisk in ⅓ cup tahini, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 Tbsp. water, and remaining 1 tsp. kosher salt. The dressing should be thick but pourable, so if it needs to be thinned out, add more water by the teaspoonful.

9. Quarter and core 1 Asian pear or sweet-tart apple. Slice each quarter crosswise into ½"-thick pieces. Transfer to bowl with cabbage.

10. Add roasted veggies to bowl with cabbage and pear. Spread ½ cup pecan halves onto empty pan and toast just until fragrant, 3–4 minutes. Let cool slightly while you assemble the salad

11. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a large platter.

12. Thinly slice 4 oz. feta into planks and coarsely crumble over salad.

13. Using your hands, crush pecans over salad and serve.

Pan Fried Pesto Steelhead Trout with Roasted New Potatoes

Serves 3

Ingredients:

3 fish fillets 

1 pound of new potatoes

1 medium size onion

3 tbsp. basil pesto

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. On the stove heat olive oil in an oven proof frying pan. Cut onion into rings and toss into oil. Cook, stirring, until soft (4-5 min). Meanwhile, half the potatoes. Once the onion is cooked, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and stir well. Place the pan in the oven for 30 - 45 min, depending on the size of potatoes. Toss ever so often to prevent potatoes from burning on one side. When the potatoes are about 10 minutes away from being cooked, rub the pesto on the fish fillets (approximately 1 tablespoon per filet). Heat up a non stick frying pan. No oil needed, since the pesto already has olive oil in it. Pan fry the fish flipping carefully to keep it in one piece.

Serve trout with a side of potatoes and a few cilantro leaves for that extra SHABANG! factor :)

Caprese Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1-2 medium tomatoes sliced into 1/4 inch thick circles

1/2 pack of fresh mozzarella sliced into 1/4 inch thick circles

A handful of fresh basil leaves

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Coarse salt

Directions:

Arrange sliced tomatoes and mozzarella, alternating each one. Tuck basil leaves in between (it's supposed to resemble the Italian flag evidently). Drizzle lightly with olive oil (choose extra virgin for amazing taste). Sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve immediately.  

Berry Smoothie

Makes 3 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups of frozen berries

2 cups of almond coconut blend

1 cup of plain 0% Greek yogurt

1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp of honey (or maple syrup)

Optional: 1 tbsp of flax seeds 

Directions:

Add, blend, sip, done! :)