Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Kale, Spinach & Pistachio Pesto.

by Filed Under: Italian-inspired, No bake/cooking required!, Nuts, Party Foods, Pasta, Sauces, Vegetarian, Vitamix 5 Comments

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Huge, I mean HUGE fans of pesto in my house.  It is also a very easy way to get everyone to eat their veggies without a battle (this is a good thing coming from mom).  Pesto is so good on pasta, eggs, fish, chicken, on pizza crust – the options are endless.  It can be made ahead of time – stored in an airtight container in the fridge for weeks.  Frozen in ice cube trays for months.  A little goes a long way and it’s an economical dinner.  So many reasons to be a fan.

Now traditional pestos, in my humble opinion, tend to be overly oily – which I know olive oil is a heart healthy oil but I’m not a fan of anything greasy/oily.  This recipe is super clean and doesn’t have a ton of oil but just the right amount.

Benefits of kale include:  Low in calories.  High in fiber (helping to keep you regular).  Zero fat.  High in iron.  High in vitamin K which protects against a myriad of cancers.  Anti-inflammatory food.  Supports cardiovascular system by lowering cholesterol.  Vitamin A for vision and beautiful skin.  Vitamin C for supporting your metabolism and adds to hydration.  It has more calcium than milk.  It also helps to detox the body by aiding in liver health. That’s just the kale!  Spinach and pistachios are also huge powerhouses!  I could go on and on…

So back to the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 huge handfuls of kale and spinach (equal parts or not)
1/4 cup of nuts (walnuts, pinenuts, almonds or pistachios work best)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Juice from one large lemon
Zest from said lemon
Grated parmesan (about 1/3 cup light and fluffy and not packed down)
1/4 cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Into your food processor or Vitamix, add the garlic and process until chopped very finely.  Then add the spinach/kale through grated parm.  Blend well.  Through the opening spout, while the machine is running, add the olive oil.  It should change the texture although it will still be mildly course.

Taste and season accordingly.

If topping pasta, always make your sauce first (pesto) and then the pasta.  Never have pasta wait for the sauce.  Into a large mixing bowl, add about 1/3 cup of pesto and then top with your pasta (and a tablespoon or so of the pasta cooking water).  Toss.  Add additional pesto as needed.  Cover and store in the fridge or freezer as mentioned above.

— Knead to Cook

Vegetable Orzo Salad with a Chobani Basil Dressing.

by Filed Under: Holiday Baking Ideas, Party Foods, Pasta, Sauces, Vegetarian, Vinaigrette, Yogurt 2 Comments

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This was one of those recipes that purely came to mind while I was meandering through the farmer’s market on Tuesday.  The freshness of all of the spring vegetables inspired me.  I was beyond thrilled to find some golden beets, that are incredible if you get a chance to buy or taste them.  And off I went to my kitchen with my bags in tow to create.

I love do to a few meatless recipes for my carnivore family a week.  Just to let them see that they can be sustained without meat and enjoy it.  Everyone loved this dish!  Glad I got a few shots of it before they descended.  Ha ha.  This recipe is very flexible – you can add whatever veggies you have on hand.  Optional ideas:  olives, cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, green beans, edamame… the list goes on and on.

Ingredients:

1 package of whole wheat Orzo pasta
2 softball sized beets (golden or red are fine)
1/2 of an English cucumber, sliced in half and then quartered
3 ears of corn on the cob, kernels removed and cooked on the stovetop to brown and carmelize
4 spring green onions, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, steamed or pan fried with a tiny bit of olive oil for 4 minutes to make a bit tender
1 large bell pepper (I used red)
1/3 cup of shelled pistachios

Dressing:
1 handfull of fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup of Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and Pepper (I used LoSalt with is a low sodium alternative)

Directions:

Start by roasting your beets.  Here is a recipe on how to do this simply.  If you have golden beets, no gloves are required but if they are red, gloves to protect your hands are a must.  Click here for my recipe.  Let them cool and then slice into 1/2 inch rounds and then quarter.

Cook your orzo according to package directions and drain.  Because this dish needs to be refrigerated for a few hours to let the flavors blend, I drizzled some olive oil atop of the pasta and gave it a good stir.  Let it cool.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add a touch of olive oil and the corn kernels.  Let cook without stirring for 4 minutes or so and then give a good stir.  Let them brown up and then remove from the heat and let cool.

Into a large bowl add your vegetables.  Then add the cooled orzo pasta.

To whip up the dressing, simply add all of the ingredients to a food processor or Vitamix and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust spices accordingly.  Then add to your salad.

Once the dressing is mixed in to the salad, coating everything nicely – cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.  Before serving, give the salad a good stir to incorporate the dressing again and enjoy.

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— Knead to Cook

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus.

by Filed Under: Condiments, Dips, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Side dish, Snacks, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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This week I took a foray into baking up pitas.  I have to admit, I knew hummus would come along shortly after.  I mean seriously, how can you eat pitas without it?!  Ha ha.  Well my family gobbled up the first batch of pitas so I’m whipping up another batch.  Click here for that recipe.  Hummus is very easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought versions.  Plus with this, you control the olive oil (even though it’s a healthy fat I still like to limit the quantity in the food I eat) and I have a little trick on exactly how to do that.

Ingredients:

2 cans of low sodium chick peas (both drained and rinsed)
2 red bell peppers (jarred in water) – reserve the water
4 cloves of garlic (use less if you aren’t a fan)
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder if you have that on hand)
Salt
Pepper
Lemon juice – from half of a lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

Into your food processor, add the chickpeas, garlic, two roasted red peppers, cumin, chili, salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Puree into well-incorporated.  While the machine is running add the tablespoon of olive oil.  If you need it creamier, most likely you will, add a tiny bit (1/2 teaspoon at a time) of the reserved liquid from the roasted red peppers.  This will not only infuse the hummus with more of the red pepper flavor, it will keep the calories down because you aren’t using more olive oil.  Puree until smooth or desired texture is achieved.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.  Serve with chopped veggies, pita slices etc.  Also works well on a sandwich instead of mayo or mustard.

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— Knead to Cook

Turkey Quinoa Mini Meat Loaf Muffins.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Ground Turkey, Italian-inspired, Party Foods, Turkey 4 Comments

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Tuesday night was a busy night for us.  One kid going in one direction and the other going in the complete opposite.  My husband and I were running equally split with them.   I needed a fast and easy dinner my father could throw in the oven for me that would be ready when we all got home. This one worked perfectly, especially with my leftover quinoa and shredded zucchini I had in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of lean ground turkey (94% lean)
1 cup of quinoa (cooked)
2 shredded carrots
1/2 shredded zucchini (skin on)
1/4 onion, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup of panko or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon parsley (dried)

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients in your stand mixer.  If the mixture is too wet, add additional bread crumbs.  Spray your mini muffin pan with olive oil and scoop the meat mixture into each well.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or more.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Bake these for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink on the inside.  Serve with veggies, a salad or whatever you like.

— Knead to Cook

Mango Jalapeño Salsa.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Chicken, Condiments, Fish, Fruit, Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Party Foods, Pork, Salsas & Guacamole, Side dish, Snacks, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 1 Comment

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*Stamped spoon can be found at:   http://www.etsy.com/people/pumpernickelandwry

Sometimes you need to lighten up a gray day with some tropical salsa.  Today, is a bit gray and going to be rainy… I thought this would be the perfect way to brighten up dinner.  I make this salsa early and let the flavors blend in the fridge until dinner.  Top over grilled chicken, pork or fish.  Or eat it straight up with tortilla chips.  Perfect for a party!

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
2 green spring onions, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño, seeds removed (or left in if you like the heat), finely diced
1-2 tablespoons of a better quality balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.  Give a good toss and let the flavors develop for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.  Remove right before serving and add additional balsamic if necessary.

— Knead to Cook

Panko Breaded Baked Chicken Tenders.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Chicken, Party Foods 9 Comments

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There’s something about crunchy breaded chicken.  I love that I managed to get this super crispy but not by frying – but baking in the oven.  This recipe is super adaptable and easy – great for a weeknight meal.  Pair it up with your favorite veggies and you are set.  Kid approved and parents will love it too.  Great idea for a party as well if you cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients:

Chicken (as much as you need to feed your family) cut into tender size
All-purpose flour (I use King Arthur’s)
Salt
Pepper
Panko bread crumbs
4-6 eggs, whisked

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 and line your baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.  Set aside.  You are going to place the flour (with some salt and pepper to season), the Panko and the eggs into three separate bowls.  Add additional ingredients if you start to run low.  Working in this order – dip the chicken tender into the flour first – dredging on both sides a nice coating.  The next step, dip the floured chicken into the egg, coating both sides.  Then, finally, dip into the Panko, pressing the chicken in firmly to get the Panko to really stick.  Gently place on the baking sheet.  Repeat until complete.  As you run out of flour or Panko, refill as necessary.  Bake for 12-14 minutes and then flip each piece gently so you avoid disturbing the crust as much as possible.  Bake again for another 12-14 minutes.  Remove when golden brown.

As additional options:

Instead of using egg you can smear dijon mustard onto the chicken before the Panko.  You can also add grated parmesan (or any other hard cheese) to the Panko as well.  If you like spicy, add some cayenne pepper to the flour mixture along with the salt and pepper.  Have fun and make it your own.

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— Knead to Cook

Cabot Cheddar Cheese Crackers.

by Filed Under: Cheese, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegetarian 1 Comment

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Cabot Cheese was gracious enough to send me a care package of their incredible cheeses to create some fun recipes and that’s just what I’ve been doing.  Last week I made Tuscan cheddar biscuits.  This week, I wanted to whip up some cheese crackers.  I had an old hand-written recipe for cheese crackers (not sure of the origination or the age of it) but I now know why I kept it.  These are knock your socks off good!  I had to step away from them… they are addicting!

Ingredients:

1 cup of All-purpose flour (I used King Arthur’s)
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of finely ground pepper
4 tablespoons of ice cold butter (I keep it in the freezer prior to use)
1 – 8 oz block of Cabot cheddar cheese, grated (medium sized grater)
3 tablespoons of ice water

Directions:

In your food processor pulse the flour, salt and pepper.  Then add all of the butter and pulse till the dough looks like coarse meal.  Add the grated cheese.  Pulse until incorporated. Then through the spout opening  located at the top of the lid, add one tablespoon of ice water at a time and while the machine is running (not pulsing here).  Keep adding one tablespoon of ice water until the dough forms a large ball and comes together (then stop adding additional water).  Wrap this in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or if using the same day, at least for 1-2 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator and let stand for about 10 minutes or more until pliable enough to roll out.  Slice the dough into two halves, working with one at a time.  Lay out two sheets of wax paper.  Place one piece of the dough in the center of the wax paper and top it with the other piece.  Roll the dough to about 1/8 of an inch thick.  That equates to about half of a pencil.  Cut the dough with small cookie cutters, pastry knife or just a regular knife.  Then refrigerate for another 10 minutes to chill.   If you’re trying to have these resemble the Cheez-It look – poke a small hole in the center of each cracker prior to baking.  

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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie or baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.  Transfer the crackers to your prepared sheet and bake for 12-16 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. You can place the crackers close together as they puff up and not grow outward like cookies do.  Remove and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.

 

 

— Knead to Cook

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Football or Lips Dip.

by Filed Under: Dips, No bake/cooking required!, Party Foods, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

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My daughter was hosting a Super Bowl party so we searched the internet for a fun dessert idea that would be football themed.  We stumbled upon www.crazyforcrust.com website and knew this was perfect!  I kept the recipe right on for how they did it.  It would also be super fun encrusted with red sprinkles for lips to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of butter (I used butter substitute)
4 ounces of low fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Encrusting: You can use chocolate sprinkles or mini chocolate chips (like I did).
Icing:  To replicate the laces on a football.

Directions:

In a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and peanut butter with the paddle attachment.  Add the vanilla.  Then in 1/4 cup increments, add the powdered sugar.  Once complete, add the chocolate chips.

Turn the batter out onto your serving platter.  Shape with clean hands into a football or lips etc.  Then dump your encrusting option on top and start gently pushing it in to cover.  I only covered the top.  Serve with pretzels or graham crackers.  Refrigerate until serving.

— Knead to Cook

Candy Corn Marshmallow People. Vegan/GF Option.

by Filed Under: Candy, Desserts, Halloween, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 157 Comments

 

I made these last year and they were a total hit.  I shared the on my blog and on Facebook and they have shown up as a guest on many other blogs.  I needed to make more and take a better photo of these cuties.  I made these super-sized.  These are the jumbo marshmallows but this recipe works well with the regular size as well.  I’ll provide the information on the original vegetarian recipe and give vegan/gf options.
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— Knead to Cook

Mixed olive tapenade.

by Filed Under: Appetizers, Dips, Gluten Free, Party Foods, Vegetarian 2 Comments

I love olives!  This is one of my favorite go-to appetizers and I’ve been craving this for about two weeks.  I finally purchased some of my favorite olives and just got done making this… I had to share!  Easily prepared ahead of time.  All you need are some toasted baguette slices or even Melba toast.  A great basic that is always well-recieved.  Remember, serve with a great glass of wine 🙂

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of mixed olives, pitted ( I used garlic stuffed, feta stuffed, green and Kalamata olives)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of capers
5 fresh basil leaves
1/2 of a lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Zest from one lemon

Directions:

This is super easy!  Toss it all in your food processor and blend until it resembles a chunky paste.  Remove and store in a tupperware container.

— Knead to Cook