pinterest recipe: creamy veggie pasta

Ok, so I wanted to do one new pinterest recipe a week.  It's been a little over a week, but I'm going to blame it on Chad being out of town and me going back to work last week. :)

I pinned this recipe for creamy veggie pasta with garlic brown butter breadcrumbs that intrigued me... especially the bread crumbs.  I did not have panko breadcrumbs, so used regular bread instead.  They were still very tasty and added a nice garlicky kick to the dish, but I'm thinking the panko ones would have been a little crisper and added a nice texture contrast.  So next time I make it I'm going to make sure I have panko breadcrumbs on hand.

I made a few other adjustments, but overall it was a very tasty dish.  I liked the creamy avocado and garlic from the breadcrumbs, with a little heat from the red pepper flakes.  I went back for seconds, and would be excited to eat the leftovers for lunch.

I also used all frozen veggies, so it was very quick to make.  The asparagus in the original recipe sounds delicious in it, but asparagus is expensive this time of year, so I rarely buy it.  I opted for broccoli, peas, and edamame, all of which I had in the freezer.

creamy avocado pasta and garlic breadcrumbs

Ingredients:
8 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 c. peas
1/2 c. edamame
1 - 2 c. broccoli
1 avocado
1/2 c. chopped ham
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
2 T. cream cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
red pepper flakes

bread crumbs:
1/3 c. panko or regular bread crumbs (1 slice of bread)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. butter

Instructions:
Bring water to a boil in a pot and cook noodles 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain noodles, reserving 1 c. of the pasta water.

If using frozen veggies, thaw in the microwave (don't cook, just thaw) and set aside.  If using fresh broccoli, saute with olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

For the cream sauce, mash 1/2 of the avocado with the cream cheese until fairly smooth.  Add yogurt and 2-3 T. of reserved pasta water.  Stir until combined.

To make the breadcrumbs, combine breadcrumbs and garlic in a small bowl.  Melt 1 T. butter and pour over the breadcrumbs (I didn't take the time to brown the butter).  Stir to combine and set aside.

Heat skillet to medium and add garlic, 1 T. olive oil, and veggies.  Cook for a couple minutes to warm the veggies.  Add the avocado cream sauce and ham and stir to combine.  Add in the pasta, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 c. of the pasta water.  Stir until creamy, adding more pasta water if needed.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Cut remaining avocado in slices.  To serve, top pasta with avocado slices, breadcrumbs and red pepper flakes.

Serves 3-4.

creamy mushroom pasta

Ah... this dish combines all my favorite flavors - outside of pregnancy, but especially during pregnancy.  Mushrooms.  White wine.  Parmesan.  Pine nuts.  Arugula.  It's creamy, in a fairly healthy sort of way, but the arugula adds a nice lightness that cuts the richness of the dish.

I made it for myself and didn't even try to share it with the rest of my family!  They probably would have eaten it and liked it, but I figured I would enjoy it the most, so I might as well eat it all. :)  It made for a nice lunch several days and was delicious every time I ate it.

creamy mushroom pasta

Ingredients:
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. dry white wine
whole wheat penne (I used about 1/3 of a box)
1 container sliced portobello mushrooms
2 laughing cow cheese triangles, any flavor (or 2 T. cream cheese)
3 T. plain yogurt
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
2 c. roughly chopped arugula
handful of pine nuts (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Caramelize the onions by cooking them over medium heat for a couple minutes (I like to use a nonstick skillet without any oil so that the onions start to brown), then add the white wine and minced garlic.  Simmer until all the wine is absorbed.  If you want to caramelize the onions even more, add a little water and cook until it is absorbed.  Repeat adding water until they are caramelized to your liking.

While the onions cook, in another pot, heat water to a boil and cook penne to al dente, ~ 8 minutes.  Drain, and reserve 1 c. of the pasta water.

In a skillet, saute the mushrooms in 1 T. olive oil and a little salt & pepper until tender.  Add the cheeses and yogurt and stir until creamy.  Add pasta and stir until combined.  Add pasta water, a little at a time, until desired creaminess.  Stir in chopped arugula, salt & pepper to taste, and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Serves 2-4.

a staple

cranberry.apple couscous salad

I believe a friend originally introduced me to this recipe and it's become one of our family favorites.  It's lite and flavorful, with the apples and nuts adding a nice texture contrast.  It's a crowd pleasure and makes for a great side that everyone will enjoy .

You can find the original recipe here.

Some ideas and modifications I've tried:

• use walnuts instead of almonds
• add a squeeze of lemon juice to the dressing
• use farro or quinoa instead of couscous (cooking liquid will have to be adjusted)
• add a handful of chopped spinach 
• make it a main dish by adding some chicken 
• use dried herbs if I don't have fresh 
• eat the leftovers over a bed of spinach or mixed greens for a lite lunch