Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera is related to and likely derived from authentic Italian dishes. However this is more accurately a North American dish, created in Nova Scotia and brought to New York City in the early 1970s. Typically, made with olive oil or alfredo, this dish would be high in fat and cholesterol. Luckily, this version keeps the fat to a minimum and is totally health promoting!

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 c broccoli, chopped

2 c carrots, diced

1 onion, diced

1 c red bell pepper, diced

1½ T garlic granules

2 c vegetable broth

12 oz quinoa penne

2 c green peas

1 c soymilk

½ c oat flour

½ c raw cashews

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tsp basil or 2 T fresh

2 tsp oregano or 2 T fresh

1 c cherry tomatoes, halved

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Then add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. When the pasta is slightly al dente, remove from heat, drain, and set aside.

While pasta cooks, in a large sauté pan, sweat the broccoli, carrots, onion, red pepper, and garlic on medium heat for 10 minutes. Keep them covered and stir occasionally. Then stir in the vegetable broth and simmer for another 10 minutes. 

Grind the cashews in a spice grinder to form a cashew powder. A coffee grinder or blender would also work. Either way, make sure the appliance is completely dry before adding cashews otherwise you will have a cashew paste.

Stir in the soymilk, oat flour, and cashew powder. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the oats from clumping together. Add the peas, black pepper, and dried herbs. Simmer for 10 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally, until the oats and cashews create a creamy sauce. Mix in the pasta, tomatoes, and the fresh herbs if using. Best served right away. Also delicious chilled as a pasta salad.

Brussel Sprouts with Apples & Pecans

Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable, and are known for their high-nutrient density. Green vegetables are a key part of healthy diet…this recipe is a tasty way to enjoy them. The apples add a crunchy sweetness and the pecans impart a slight buttery flavor. It’s a wonderful combination.

Serves 6 

Ingredients:

¾ c pecans

2 lbs Brussels sprouts

½ c vegetable broth, low-sodium

1 onion, yellow

10 dates, medjool

½ T garlic granules

2 apples

1 lemon

Lightly toast the pecans in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. You know they’re ready when you can smell their sweet aroma. Be careful, they can burn quickly.

Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and then julienne each half. If there are larger pieces, feel free to break them up a little bit. In a large non-stick pan, sauté the Brussels sprouts with the vegetable stock over medium heat. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Add the diced onion, dates, and garlic, stirring occasionally. Just before serving the Brussels sprouts should be soft and bright green. This is the time to add the apples and lemon juice, to keep the apples cold and crisp, which complements the warm dish. Lastly, stir in the toasted pecan pieces and serve.

Italian Quinoa Burgers

Like Italian? If so, this burger is for you! Add your favorite Italian spices and your choice of either tomato paste or ketchup, and enjoy this flavorful patty. Burgers don’t have to be fattening, - you just make starch based instead. Besides improving your health, reducing meat consumption is also beneficial to the environment.

Yields 6 burgers 

Ingredients:

1 can pinto beans

1 cup quinoa

½ onion, diced

½ c mushrooms, sliced

¼ c instant oats

2 T tomato paste, unsalted or ketchup, unsweetened

2 tsp Italian or Pizza spice blend

To cook the quinoa, bring ½ c of quinoa and 1 c of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Once water is absorbed, taste rice to see if fully cooked. If not, add a little more water and let simmer until it’s ready. Boil beans until soft or drain canned beans. Pour beans in a medium size bowl and mash them with your hands, potato masher, or fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper on sheet pan. Sweat the onion and mushrooms in a sauté pan. Sweat means the moisture comes from the veggies so no oil is needed. Remember to keep a lid on the pan. If the veggies do start to stick, add a little bit of water. Cook until onions are translucent.

Add instant oats, ketchup, veggies, and quinoa to bean bowl. Mix everything together so there is an even consistency. Feel free to do this with your hands. Then form mixture into patties. A good thickness is about ½ inch and I like to make mine around 3 inches in diameter.

Place patties onto parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Flip the patties and bake for another 15 minutes. Try serving the burgers between two leaves of romaine lettuce and then top with tomato, onion, ketchup, and mustard. Another great option is to place the burger on a bed of fresh spinach. Using greens instead of the bun makes the dish gluten free, lower in calories, and have even more powerful phytonutrients!

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 2 burgers
Calories			266
Total Fat			2 g
Saturated Fat			0 g
Trans Fat			0 g
Cholesterol			0 mg
Sodium			17 mg
Total Carb			50 g
Fiber			29 g
Sugar			5 g
Protein			14 g
Vitamin A		31 IU
Vitamin C		6 mg
Calcium		74 mg
Folate		210 ug
Iron		4 mg
Zinc		2 mg

Banana & Blueberry Bars

This tasty bar is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. It’s full of starch to give you lasting energy, unrefined sugars for a healthy sweetness, fiber for good digestion, and even omega-3s for heart health. You can have a delicious treat and support your body at the same time!

Yields 12 bars

Ingredients:

1 c dates

1.5 c apple juice

1 c oat flour

2 c rolled oats

¾ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

3 bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ c blueberries, frozen

½ c walnuts

Cut dates in half, remove the pits and soak them in apple juice. Lay a piece of parchment paper in a 9 x 9 in baking pan, making sure the sides are covered. Cut slits in the corners of the paper so that the paper overlaps and is flat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. Mix and set aside. Put the bananas and vanilla extract into a blender. Add the strained apple juice to the blender, set dates aside, and blend until creamy. Then add the dates. Pulse a few times, so the dates are in small pieces.

Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredient bowl. Mix until blended evenly. Stir in the blueberries and walnuts. Pour the batter into baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Test for doneness, by poking bars with a fork. If it comes out clean then remove pan from oven. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Photos by culinary instructor, Cathy Fisher of www.straightupfood.com

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 1 bar
Calories			309
Total Fat			9 g
Saturated Fat			1 g
Trans Fat			0 g
Cholesterol			0 mg
Sodium			3 mg
Total Carb			51 g
Fiber			7 g
Sugar			18 g
Protein			9 g
Vitamin A		8 IU
Vitamin C		3 mg
Calcium		49 mg
Folate		41 ug
Iron		3 mg
Zinc		2 mg

Black Bean Burgers

This Mexican inspired burger is a delicious and healthy alternative to greasy beef burgers. Use your favorite salsa or you could also replace salsa with ketchup. If you enjoy the hotness, feel free to add a little bit of hot sauce. For a better hold, prepare the patties the day before and store in your refrigerator over night.

Yields 6 burgers

Ingredients:

1 c brown rice

1 can black beans

½ onion, diced

¼ c corn

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp chili powder

¼ c cornmeal

2 T salsa

To cook the brown rice, bring ½ c of rice and 1 c of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Once water is absorbed, taste rice to see if fully cooked. If not, add a little more water and let simmer until it’s ready. Boil beans until soft or drain canned beans. Pour beans in a medium size bowl and mash them with your hands, potato masher, or fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper on sheet pan.

Sweat the onion in a sauté pan. Sweat means the moisture comes from the veggies so no oil is needed. Just remember to keep a lid on the pan. If the onions do start to stick, add a little bit of water. When onions become translucent add corn and spices. Cook for a few more minutes.

Add cornmeal, salsa, veggies, and rice to bean bowl. Mix everything together so there is an even consistency. Feel free to do this with your hands. Then form mixture into patties. A good thickness is about ½ inch and I like to make mine around 3 inches in diameter.

Place patties onto parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Flip the patties and bake for another 15 minutes.  Serve between two leaves of romaine lettuce with tomato, onion, ketchup, and mustard. Or try putting the burger on a bed of fresh spinach instead of the bun…. delicious!

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 128 g
Calories			140
Total Fat			1 g
Saturated Fat			0 g
Trans Fat			0 g
Cholesterol			0 mg
Sodium			41 mg
Total Carb			28 g
Fiber			6 g
Sugar			2 g
Protein			6 g
Vitamin A		29 IU
Vitamin C		2 mg
Calcium		28 mg
Folate		87 ug
Iron		2 mg
Zinc		1 mg