Pasta e Fagioli

I got some fabulous dried cannellini beans from Carollo's Italian Grocery this weekend and the first thing I did when I woke up on Monday was put them into my crock pot to simmer all day so they would be ready to eat at dinnertime. Cannellini beans are some of my favorites, but it's sometimes difficult to find them dried rather than in cans.

Pasta e fagioli is a classic Italian soup, often made with parmesan cheese and day-old bread. I didn't quite feel like soup, so I made it as a pasta dish. Cannellinis are soft beans, so when they're well cooked they start to mash when mixed in with the pasta, giving the whole dish a creamy and rich texture. We ate this with locally baked flat bread covered with garlic butter and minced parsley and some Sicilian black olives.

I would like to dedicate this fabulous dish to my mother, who taught me everything I need to know about pasta.

Pasta e Fagioli

• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup plus a couple tablespoons of olive oil
• about 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• about 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• about 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 8 ounces of short pasta
• sea salt, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper

Bring plenty of water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta until it is done. Various shapes and types (whole wheat, semolina, fresh, quinoa, etc) have different cooking times so check your package. Drain when finished.

Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Saute the onion until it starts becoming translucent, about ten minutes. Add in the garlic, tomatoes, carrots, kale, oregano, thyme, basil and bay leaf. Cook and stir until the kale begins to wilt and you can smell the fragrant spices and garlic.

Mix in the cooked pasta, beans, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir until combined and season liberally with salt, black pepper and crushed red peppers. Garnish each individual serving with almonds, green onions and parsley.

Sending this to Presto Pasta Nights, guest hosted by Three Cookies

Sweet Chili Noodles

I love making stir-fried noodles loaded with vegetables and covered in delicious, tasty sauce. I have experimented with many combinations of ingredients to make sauces that are sweet, spicy or salty, with different noodle shapes and various vegetables.

This dish is sweet and slightly spicy, loaded with delicate but filling vegetables. Even though this is an Asian-style dish, I used whole wheat spaghetti pasta - simply because that's what I had on hand. Udon, rice, egg or any other grain-noodle would work well.

I first came across sweet chili sauce as a topping for plain grilled tofu from the prepared foods area of Whole Foods Market. It tastes exactly how it is named: slightly spicy but mostly sweet with a bright red color and thick texture. I get it in a bottle at Whole Foods Market, and it will definitely be at any Asian food store or maybe even the supermarket (be sure to watch out for funky ingredients). I would love to one day make my own sweet chili sauce!

The leftovers for this, I imagine, would be delicious eaten cold. I don't know for sure though because we didn't have leftovers :)

Sweet Chili Noodles

• 12-14 ounces noodles
• 4 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 6-8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup peas
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup minced fresh parsley
• olive oil
• Sriracha hot sauce for garnish

Cook the noodles according to the package directions and drain.

Combine the liquid aminos, sesame oil, chili sauce, garlic and ginger in a small bowl with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until well combined. Toss with the noodles in a large bowl and set aside.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about five minutes or so. Add in the cabbage and balsamic vinegar, stir and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, then add in the mushrooms and peas. Continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are cooked to your liking, an additional 2-10 minutes depending on how crunchy you like things.

Pour the vegetables over the top of the noodles and add in the minced parsley. Toss to combine everything together and serve with Sriracha if you'd like more heat.

Green Rice

I always have a large variety of green vegetables and seasonings hanging out in my kitchen - today I decided to use them all together! This recipe is very easy and quick to make and very filling. Serve it hot or cold!

The specific pesto sauce that I used in this recipe is my own Spinach and Squash Pesto, however, feel free to use your favorite pesto - homemade or store bought.

Green Rice
Serves 3-4

•  olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried peppermint
• 1 cup green peas (thawed)
• 1 cup baby lima beans (thawed)
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon kelp powder
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, oregano, basil, thyme and peppermint and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about ten minutes. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Add in the peas, lima beans, brown rice, pesto sauce, kelp powder and lime juice and mix well. Taste, and add in more lime juice, salt and pepper, if desired.

Beautiful green nutrition!