Asian Noodle Bowls with Green-Tea Poached Salmon (SRC)

Posted in Gluten Free, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Seafood by naturalnoshing

Spring is finally here in Montana! Bright and sunny, longer days propel me to get moving – both in the kitchen and outside. I am also craving lights dishes with lots of vegetables…and this noodle bowl is a great place to start. It’s still comforting for the cooler evenings but light enough for a veggie-packed dinner with hunger-smashing protein to boot. I’ve always been fond of green tea but never thought of poaching salmon in a tea-infused broth…different AND delicious! The Asian-inspired dressing for this one-bowl meal was not only fresh, but a little nutty and infused with ginger and garlic…a definite personal favorite. The roasted veggies add depth to the dish while the mild-flavored salmon was a perfect compliment to the noodles and sauce. It’s a winner, and my how pretty it turned out with all the fun colors! This recipe was lightly adapted from Sarah and Tim’s tasty blog, Curious Cuisiniere for this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment and I had a blast searching through tons of creative recipes full of fusion and culture. I love their description, “Take a journey back to your roots and bring wholesome cooking, inspired by your past, back into your home.”…and their recipes reflect just that. I was drawn in to a slew of dishes that are now on my Spring must-make list: Crockpot Coffee-Spiked Sloppy Joes, Sweet Potato Falafel with Tahini Slaw, and Layered Melon Granitas in a Jar to name a few. I ultimately chose their Asian Noodle Bowls with Tea-poached Salmon, not only was I intrigued by the fish preparation but I had a hankering for ginger and had some rainbow carrots that were calling my name. I made a few substitutions based on ingredients on hand; I increased the quantity of sauce by a third so I could drizzle a little on top of the veggies and salmon when plating and used 1 1/2 tsp of toasted sesame oil to increase the nutty flavor a tad. I also used gluten-free coconut aminos and rice noodles in lieu of soy sauce and ramen noodles to avoid an upset stomach. I cut the salmon into separate filets in order to cook them more easily and evenly in my saucepan. I didn’t have any parsley so I left that out, but I imagine cilantro would be a great addition too, but I can put cilantro on lots of things 🙂 Asian Noodle Bowls with Green-Tea Poached Salmon (lightly adapted from Curious Cuisiniere) Grain-free/Paleo option, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free option, Nut-free, Egg-free, Sugar-free

Ingredients

The Dressing 2 Tbsp canola oil (or a combo of 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seed oil and 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil) 3 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce, Braggs or tamari or coconut aminos (for soy free) 1 Tbsp tahini* 1 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp lime juice 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated or minced ginger

The Veggies

4 medium carrots, sliced 1 lb broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 large onion, chopped 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt drizzle of olive oil

The Salmon 2 cups water

2 green tea bags

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

1 lb wild-caught salmon filets (I used 3 portions about 5-6 oz each)

The Noodles

water 4 packages gluten-free ramen noodles, broken slightly (discard the spice packet) or 8 oz gluten free buckwheat or favorite thin pasta noodles, cooked according to package directions**

For Serving/Garnish

2 Tbsp green onions, thinly sliced 2 Tbsp sesame seeds 2 tsp parsley or cilantro (I left this out and added a squeeze of lime

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce/liquid aminos, tahini, honey, lime juice, and ginger. Set dressing aside.
Toss carrots, broccoli, and onions with a drizzle of oil and the garlic powder and salt. Spread onto a greased and foil-lined baking sheet. . Roast vegetables at 425F for 15 minutes, until darkened, but still crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the vegetables are roasting, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil with the tea bags and peppercorns. Add fish and simmer to poach for 10 minutes. Remove fish from the tea to a plate and flake with a fork.
In a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
To serve: toss noodles of choice with the ginger lime dressing and ladle into individual bowls. Add vegetables and flaked salmon. Top everything with a sprinkling of green onions, sesame seeds, and parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes and Substitutions

*Creamy peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or almond butter can be substituted for tahini

**For grain-free and/or Paleo, use zucchini noodles or shirataki noodles. If using zucchini noodles, you can either eat them raw and marinate the noodles in the dressing for a crunchier bite OR lightly sauté the noodles for 2-3 minutes until desired texture, then toss with the dressing.

For more recipes from this month’s reveal, please click below!

25May2014

White Bean Basil Pesto with Penne and Oven-Roasted Veggies (SRC)

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

I’ve always loved pesto, I could eat it spooned over crackers or grilled veggies, tossed with pasta, spread as a pizza base, slathered on a sandwich or drizzled over a cheese and vegetable platter. I think you get the point, I like the stuff just a tad bit 🙂 In my little food world, it’s the Italian equivalent of hummus…it can go on almost anything.

While I am all for healthy fats, a tablespoon of traditional pesto can pack a caloric punch…and if used as generously as I do, it also can pack on the pounds. When I came across this recipe for a white bean pesto sauce with penne pasta, I was immediately intrigued. A no-cheese, low-oil creamy sauce or dip with plenty of garlicky herb pesto flavor that can be whipped up in about 5 minutes. I’m in!
This pesto pasta recipe was discovered on Christie’s blog, A Kitchen Hoor, which I was happily assigned for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal. Not only has she been cooking since she was “tall enough to see over the counter”, Christie “loves to mutate recipes into her own creations” such as her Corned Beef and Cabbage Enchiladas and her Saffron Baked Beignets. Talk about creativity! Her claim to fame was also being featured on Emeril Live! for her Elegant Sweet Potato Skins!

I seriously contemplated making her sweet potato skins, however with the summer weather approaching I thought a no-cook, versatile sauce and pasta might be more appropriate. I loved this recipe both hot tossed with pasta as well as the leftovers cold from the fridge so that’s a huge bonus in my book. Plus, this pesto sauce can be used as a dip, a spread, or drizzled over rice, vegetables, meats, etc.

I tweaked Christie’s recipe slightly to make it gluten-free and more substantial as a main dish (yes, I like big portions). I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the sauce to bring out the fresh flavors a bit more without me having to add too much salt. I substituted whole wheat penne for this gluten-free multigrain penne and tossed in oven-roasted some grape tomatoes and zucchini for a little extra bulk. I was very pleased with this meal! Full of flavor that was complex yet simple in it’s ingredients and filling! I’ll be making this pesto again, I might even try it as a sauce for potato salad…is this strange? 🙂

White Bean Basil Pesto Penne (slightly adapted from this recipe)
Gluten-free, Grain-free option, Dairy-free, Nut-free option, Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick, Sugar-free, No-Cook

Ingredients

1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used low-sodium)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 ounce almonds (could use pinenuts for a variation or use sunflower seeds and hemp seeds for nut-free)
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh squeezed lemon juice from 1/3 lemon
8 ounces gluten free penne or other pasta*, cooked per package directions
1 cup oven-roasted grape tomatoes** (optional)
1 medium zucchini, cubed and roasted** (optional)

Directions

Combine beans, basil, broth, almonds, oil, and garlic, lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Toss with hot, cooked pasta and serve!

Serves 4

*For a grain-free option, toss with cooked spaghetti squash, grilled veggies or grilled meat, or use a spread or a dip.
** I added in some roasted grape tomatoes and zucchini but your favorite vegetable could be substituted. I cut 1 1/2 cups of grape tomatoes in half and cubed the zucchini, tossed them both with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and baked at 350F for about 25 minutes.

Options:
For additional protein, toss in more beans for vegetarian or grilled or roasted chicken or shrimp.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if that suites your fancy or some toasted almonds or pine nuts for a nuttier flare.
Substitute your favorite roasted vegetable or eliminate the veggies altogether if you’re not a fan. Sauteed green would be delicious too. Make it your own!

For additional recipes from this month’s reveal, click the link below!

23Nov2011

Buttercup Pasta with Spinach and Sweet Onions

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Happy Pre-Thanksgiving! Today is the first full day in Seattle with the family and I am sure we are having a blast. I couldn’t stay away for a week while I was on vacation so I tried to think ahead and plan a few posts while I am traveling 🙂

I also tried to plan ahead for the munchies that hit while I travel. To prepare for my vacation, I took the following snacks along with me…I am always worried about being hungry, go figure!

I brought along:

Larabars – peanut butter cookie, cherry pie and cashew cookie
individual packs of raw almonds (I wish they made this in a trail mix, but I could make my own!)
1 Cacao-chia bar from Two moms in the Raw – I found this at Whole Foods , can’t wait to try!
Two packs of pre-packed oatmeal that includes 1/2 cup gluten free oats, 3/4 scoop of vanilla egg white protein, 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 Tbsp chia seed – all I need is to add hot water and I am good to go!
Himalayan pink sea salt (for meals while I travel so I don’t have to use table salt)

And for today’s recipe – I promise the squash obsession will die down soon but my thinking is “eat up while it’s in season!”

I should be turning orange with all the winter squash I’ve been consuming lately. Breakfast, lunch, dinner – it always sounds good to me…I think I am addicted, but is that a bad thing? After a workout, my favorite thing to eat is squash in one form or another – sauteed, baked, roasted, mashed, pureed in a smoothie – it’s all yummy and very satisfying from the complex carbohydrates.

You may have seen variations of winter squash + pasta floating around the web lately, and I am not the exception. I actually made this dish several weeks ago but I am just now getting around to sharing it with you – shame on me!

Healthy, full of flavor and packed with nutrients, this pasta dish can be served as a main dish or as a comforting side. I used buttercup squash that was on sale but any winter squash could be used here with equally scrumptious results 🙂

Buttercup Pasta with Spinach and Sweet Onions

Ingredients

4 cups gluten free penne. rigatoni or shells (I used OrgraN GF buckwheat spirals I found at Whole Foods)
2 tsp olive oil, refined coconut oil or butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T fresh sage, chopped
4 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1 1/2 cup buttercup squash puree (pumpkin, butternut, kabocha or other winter squash could be subbed)
3 Tbsp grated Gruyere cheese (parmesan cheese or other sharp cheese can be subbed)
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (I bet sour cream or cottage cheese would work too)
3/4 cup unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk, vegetable broth or chicken broth (more if needed)
pinch of ground nutmeg
grated parmesan cheese for serving (I used about 1/4 cup but add as much as you want)
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
2. Meanwhile. heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauteed until lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add half of the onions to a blender and add sage, garlic and spinach to the skillet with the remaining onions and let cook for one or two minutes until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.
3. To the blender with the onions, add squash puree, gruyere, greek yogurt, milk/broth, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Blend until pureed and add more milk/broth as needed if the sauce is too thick.
4. Add wilted spinach-onions and squash sauce to pasta and toss to combine in the pot over low heat until warmed through. Add to serving bowls, top with grated parmesan and serve!

Serves 4

Optional: for an extra protein boost, add 2 links of sliced, sauteed chicken or other sausage to the pasta and sauce before serving.

30Jul2011

The Tale of Two Pestos

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Since we live in a townhouse and do not have our own yard, I bought a mini basil plant that I can keep on the counter so I can “grow” at least one fresh herb. The first two ideas that came to mind when I thought of basil recipes were pesto and strawberry-basil ice cream – I am not sure why I thought of ice cream of all things…I do enjoy unusual flavor combos.

I didn’t have the ingredients needed for ice cream so I went for pesto, after all, I have been craving pasta lately! I recently caught an episode of Giada at Home where she made a California-style pasta dish of Linguine with Arugula and Avocado Pesto and I couldn’t wait to put my own spin on it. However, I also had been thinking about a sun-dried tomato version as well since the arrival of my NutsOnline order…I couldn’t decide which to make. Instead of choosing between the two, I couldn’t help but make both 🙂 That’s right, you have two extremely quick and easy recipes to choose from today!

If pasta isn’t your thing, substitute cooked spaghetti squash or you can use these pestos as pizza sauce, sandwich spreads, dressing for cooked veggies or over grilled chicken or shrimp! Both dishes are vegetarian but for a more complete meal and to increase the protein, add grilled chicken, shrimp or cooked vegetables to your pasta.

First up was my take on Giada’s dish — I was completely intrigued with the idea of an oil-free pesto and was in the mood for a summer meal, and this quick pesto hit the spot. I used a mix of both spinach and arugula, added toasted pine nuts instead of almonds and halved the recipe. Just a few tips for this dish, make sure you use baby arugula leaves or your pesto will taste bitter and don’t forget to wash your basil leaves to avoid a gritty texture. This creamy pesto has a brightness from the lime juice and basil, a lovely saltiness from the cheese and a great peppery kick from the arugula. If you prefer a more traditional pesto flavor, drizzle in a bit of olive oil. For me, I didn’t add any oil as the avocado added the right amount of richness for my taste buds.

I had a bit of leftover pesto after tossing with pasta and it kept for two days in the fridge, it maintains its green hue and was a delicious spread on my turkey sandwich for lunch 🙂

Creamy Avocado Pesto with Spinach and Arugula (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

1 ripe medium avocado, halved, peeled, and seeded
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 cup baby arugula leaves
1/2 packed cup fresh basil leaves, washed
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime, you could probably use lemon juice as well)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup lightly toasted pinenuts (or could sub sliced almonds)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 lb pasta of choice (I used gluten free rice pasta)

Optional garnish
Basil leaves
Toasted pine nuts
Additional grated parmesan

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according the package’s instructions or until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Place drained pasta in a serving bowl.
2. While pasta cooks, use a spoon and scoop out the flesh from the avocado and place in a food processor. Add the spinach, arugula, basil leaves, lime juice, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the pesto over the pasta and toss together. Add the cheese and toss together until coated, adding the pasta water a little at a time as needed, to loosen the sauce (I only needed a couple tablespoons). Garnish with additional cheese, pine nuts and basil, if desired, and enjoy!

For the second pesto recipe, I couldn’t wait to use incorporate the delicious sun-dried tomatoes that I received a week ago! These tomatoes have such a wonderful sweetness that pairs perfectly with fresh garlic, basil and good-quality olive oil. I made mine a little chunky on purpose so I could use it as a spread as well as a sauce, so feel free to add more olive oil for a more saucy consistency or to your liking. I took the tip from the above recipe and reserved a bit of pasta water as well to help moisten the pasta.

This pesto tossed with your choice of pasta is great served on it’s own or can be tossed with sauteed veggies and meat of choice for a substantial dinner or even as an impressive but simple side dish. You can serve with spaghetti squash instead of pasta if you’d like a low-carb option as well!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil, but need to be moist*)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed
4 Tbsp olive oil or more to taste
1-2 Tbsp boiling water
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pasta of choice (about 8 oz) – I used gluten free egg pasta this time!

Optional garnish

Basil leaves
Grated parmesan cheese
Chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according the package instructions in a large pot of salted, boiling water, until tender but still has a bite to it, stirring occasionally. Drain and reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water for tossing. Add cooked pasta to bowl and set aside.
2. While pasta cooks, add ingredients sun-dried tomatoes through water to bowl of a food processor and process until the tomatoes are finely chopped and resembles a paste consistency. Add tomato mixture into a small bowl and stir in the parmesan until incorporated.
3. Add the pesto to the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach desired consistency (I used a couple tablespoons). Add additional crushed pepper and/or salt, if needed. Garnish with basil leaves, additional cheese and chopped tomatoes, if desired, and enjoy!

*If your sun-dried tomatoes are really dry, pour boiling water over them to slightly rehydrate before adding to food processor.

I enjoyed both so much, I can’t decide which I preferred more. I would say that if you are looking for a more traditional-tasting pesto, the tomato version would be your best bet but the avocado-arugula dish was unique – so fresh and delicious as well!