Garlic Chive Pesto Pasta with Langostino Lobster

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

Costco carries wild-caught langostino lobster tails, and my better half, his daughter and I are all seafood lovers so naturally we could not resist this purchase. While it’s a bit pricier than chicken or veggies, we stretched the 2 pounds of this sweet langostino over three meals…and this garlic chive pesto pasta was one of the delicious results.

I rarely eat pasta, maybe twice a year when a random craving hits or I come across a “fun buy” and I give into indulgence. We bought this scrumptious gluten-free garlic chive pasta at Pike’s Place Market on our Seattle vacation this summer and “pasta guy” convinced us to sample a variety including “dark chocolate”. While I was tempted to buy anything chocolate, we settled on a bag of garlic chive “rooster comb”…simply because you can’t go wrong with Italian! Any gluten-free pasta can be used but our specialty pasta added some extra pizazz and flavor to the dish.

While I prefer pasta warm in general, this dish can also be eaten chilled. I devoured my leftovers straight from the fridge for lunch the next day and it was delightful 🙂 If you are a vegetarian or vegan or just downright want more vegetables, omit the lobster and add another favorite veggie when you saute the summer squash. Broccoli, asparagus, zucchini and mushrooms would all be delicious additions!

Don’t be deterred from the longer direction list — essentially you blend all the ingredients for the pesto, cook the pasta and saute the veggies with lobster then toss everything together. It’s not as complicated as it may look at first glance!

Garlic Chive Pesto Pasta with Langostino Lobster
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Vegetarian & Vegan option, Sugar-free, Peanut-free, Nightshade-free, Egg-free option

Ingredients

2/3 lb wild caught langostino lobster tails (omit for vegan/vegetarian or sub shrimp if preferred)
9 oz gluten free garlic chive pasta* or your favorite gluten-free pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 yellow squash, diced (can substitute or add zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli etc)
3 cups spinach, baby chard or kale
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Slices of fresh lemon for serving
Additional pine nuts for serving (optional)

For the pesto:
1 1/4 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts (or cashews)
fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
1 large garlic clove, minced
large pinch of sea salt (~1/4 tsp or more to taste)
4 Tbsp olive oil

Directions
To make the pesto:
1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts for a few minutes, but watch carefully since they burn quickly! You can skip this step but the toasted nuts adds another dimension to the pesto.

2. In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine basil through salt and blend for 15 seconds. While the blender or food processor is running, pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pulse all ingredients together for a more rustic pesto until you reach your desired texture. Taste pesto and adjust with more salt and lemon if needed.

For pasta
1. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a rolling boil on high. Add pasta and stir for the first 15 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-high and start the cooking timer once the water returns to a slow simmer or gentle rolling boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced squash and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes. Toss in lobster and greens and cook until lobster is warmed and greens are wilted, a couple minutes, then remove from heat.

2. Drain pasta over a colander, reserving a few tablespoons of pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta back to large pot along with 1-2 Tbsp cooking liquid and pesto, then toss to combine. Add Lobster-veggie mix and fresh chives and toss to combine again. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4. Portion into serving bowls, sprinkle with additional pine nuts (if desired) and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

Serves 4-5 main dish servings

*This garlic chive pasta contains egg whites, for an egg-free version substitute your favorite gluten-free vegan pasta –penne, spaghetti, elbow etc. will all work here!

Notes: If you can tolerate dairy, this dish would pair well with a sprinkle of parmesan or asiago.

22Mar2015

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!

22Jun2014

Salmon with Mango, Edamame and Grapefruit Salad (SRC)

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Seafood, Soups and Salads, Vegan by naturalnoshing

It’s the taste of the tropics right here…hello summer!

Now that it’s “officially summer”, I couldn’t help choosing this fresh, light yet very satisfying salad for the Secret Recipe Club reveal this month. Just look at the gorgeous colors…and I haven’t even started on the flavor profile!

This salad is a beautiful combination of acidic, sweet and salty with peppery undertones…I recommend sitting out in the sunshine while enjoying this dish, and be transported to your own personal little vacation for the afternoon or evening.

I was assigned Sue’s beautiful blog, Couscous and Consciousness for June, and what a lovely site she has! After getting acquainted with her blog, you can feel Sue’s passion for food, healthy lifestyle and conscious eating and her recipes reflect her outlook as well. While I ultimately chose her Salmon salad with Mango and Grapefruit, I’ve tagged several recipes for the future: Butternut and Tahini Spread, Scallops and Sweet Potato with Vanilla Saffron Sauce and her Green Tomato Cake with Maple Mascarpone…inventive and intriguing flavor combinations that I can’t wait to try!

I made a few tweaks to the salad by adding some olive oil and apple cider vinegar to the dressing and I sprinkled a bit of smoked paprika on the fish prior to cooking since I’ve been loving that spice these days. Sue mentioned Thai basil in her write up as well as lotus root, so I threw in some finely chopped basil and I thought the addition of a roasted beet would add a little color and sweetness that would compliment the flavors in the dish in place of the lotus. Since I am sucker for anything nutty, I tossed in some pinenuts for added texture and complexity, but feel free to leave these out if preferred! If you prefer a vegan dish, simply omit the salmon for a light lunch or a side salad and substitute Bragg’s liquid aminos or tamari for the fish sauce. I’ll be making this again for sure!

Salmon with Mango, Edamame and Grapefruit Salad (lightly adapted from this recipe)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Vegetarian/Vegan option, Nut-free Option, Dairy-free, Soy-free

Ingredients

2 skin-on, bone out salmon fillets (mine were each about 6 oz)
flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
a couple dashes of smoked paprika
1 Tbsp neutral oil (I used olive oil, but vegetable oil works)

For Salad
1 firm mango, ever so slightly under-ripe, peeled and shredded OR cut into wedges
1 pink grapefruit, peeled & cut into segments and chopped if desired (membrane removed)
3/4 cup shelled edamame
2 generous handfuls of peppery leaves such as rocket, cress, mizuna (I used 4 cups arugula)
1 roasted beet, diced (I used already cooked organic Love Beets, optional)
1 tbsp fresh basil or Thai basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp pinenuts (omit for nut-free)

Dressing:
juice of 1 pink grapefruit
2 Tbsp grated palm sugar or 1 Tbsp agave or honey (don’t use honey if vegan)
1 Tbsp fish sauce or Braggs liquid aminos or gluten free tamari*
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 cm (3/4 in) piece of ginger, finely grated
2 tbsp olive oil (I added for a bit of richness)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Begin by making the dressing. Place all the dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously to combine or blend in a blender cup if preferred. Set aside.

2. Put oil in a non-stick frypan set over medium heat. Season salmon with paprika, salt and pepper. Once pan is heated, place salmon in the pan skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, before turning over and cooking for approximately 1-3 minutes or until done to your liking.

3. While salmon is cooking, place all the salad ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine.

4. To serve, arrange salad on serving plates, drizzle with the dressing, toss lightly and top with the salmon.

For other recipes in this month’s reveal, click below!

1Mar2012

Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Salmon and Dijon-Dill Vinaigrette

Posted in Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Seafood, Soups and Salads by naturalnoshing

There’s a little Mediterranean restaurant in Helena that Chris and I like to frequent called The Mediterranean Grill. The menu ranges from Italian cuisine to Turkish, Moroccan and Spanish offerings. Though I typically do not order salads at a restaurant, their Insalata D’Estate particularly stood out to me one evening so I took a chance and ordered it.

I was intrigued and captivated by the flavors and colors in this salad — juicy oranges, crisp bell peppers, crunchy cucumbers, fresh tomato AND sun-dried tomatoes all topped with a perfectly cooked piece of salmon and a garlic-y dijon-dill vinaigrette. It was filling while still relatively light and when I left that night, I was determined to recreate my version at home.

I am proud to announce this salad is delicious and refreshing! This dressing is a tad bit different than the original from what I can remember but it’s still yummmmmmy!

Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Salmon and Dijon-Dill Viniagrette

Ingredients

For fish
2 (6 oz) salmon fillets
salt and pepper
olive oil

For salad
6-8 cups fresh baby greens
1 small orange, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 small Roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup green or red bell pepper, diced
a few thick slices of red onion (I mimicked how the restaurant prepared it but next time I would dice the pieces smaller)
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For viniagrette:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
juice from half of a lemon (about 1 Tbsp, or you could use more wine vinegar)

1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 to 2 Tbsp freshly chopped dill (you could probably used dried, about 1 tsp)

1/4 tsp honey (can omit if you want a more tangy dressing)
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

sprig of fresh dill for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Brush salmon filets with olive oil and season salt and pepper and set aside for 15 minutes (it’s best to cook salmon when at room temperature).
2. Prepare vinaigrette, add all ingredients except for fresh dill into a blender cup and blend for 30 seconds or until emulsified. Add in dill and stir until well combined. Set aside and let flavors meld.

2. Brush a grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high. Place salmon in pan skin side down and let cook for 4 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn filets over and let cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through (fish should feel firm and not mushy when done cooking, you can cut in the middle to see if it’s cooked through and no longer deep pink). Let rest for a few minutes while you assemble the salad.

2. Assemble salad by placing greens in the bowl, top with chopped vegetables and fan the orange sections. Top with cook salmon and sprinkle with a small pinch of salt (optional) and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with prepared viniagrette and enjoy!

Recipe Notes: Salad is also delicious cold if you prefer a chilled salad and fish. I’ve eaten it both ways!

I had leftover dressing but saved it and drizzle over cooked shrimp and feta cheese 🙂

Serves 2