It’s that time of year again when we can get fresh corn. Revisit this post on the easiest way to prepare it:
Perfectly cooked corn emerges clean of all silk and husks!
via Corn on the Cob? I’m all ears! | HASTY TASTY MEALS KITCHEN
Tag Archives: cooking
Corn on the Cob? I’m all ears! | HASTY TASTY MEALS KITCHEN
Filed under corn on the cob, Healthful Eating
Spaghetti Squash
Vegetable Impastas
Lately we’re reading or hearing a lot about spiral vegetable slicing, such as zucchini noodles using the SpiraLife or Spiralizer gadget. But don’t forget the spaghetti squash. It may not make perfect noodles–in fact, its flesh more closely resembles rice–yet it’s a good substitute for your favorite pasta.
Cooking spaghetti squash is easy, especially with a microwave oven. Using a sharp knife, puncture the skin in five or six places. Put the squash in a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for six minutes (Times vary depending on the model of your oven). Slice open, remove seeds and pulp, and then pull the flesh into “spaghetti” using a fruit spoon. Top and serve!
In this slideshow, I topped with scallops scampi and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Spaghetti squash offers a delicious way to sneak a serving of vegetables into the meal no matter what toppings or sauce you use.
Filed under Healthful Eating, pasta dishes, scallops, Vegetables
Versatile Pesto
Now that I’m focused on MUFAs, I am experimenting more with one of my favorites, pesto. Here is my recipe for making the basic sauce, in case you don’t have one. Use a food processor or blender if you don’t have the Vita-Mix, and allow more time for the mixture to blend.
RECIPE
Vita-Mix Pesto
Yields 1 cup sauce2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup pine nuts (Or Walnuts will work)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (Must be EVOO)
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Italian blend seasoning (or dried oregano)
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
(optional: dash of salt)Place these ingredients in the order listed into the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. On Variable speed #5-6, process until thoroughly combined (may have to use tamper to push ingredients into the blades). Usually the process takes 20 seconds. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to ten days (but mine seldom lasts that long!)
Pesto sauce is high calorie, so use it sparingly. Thin it with the cooking water from pasta to make a delicious pasta sauce or thin a tablespoon with about 1 or 2 tablespoons water to dress your salad. You can cook with pesto sauce, too. Spread a little over a boneless, skinless chicken breast. (Cook gently, though. The garlic turns bitter at higher temperatures, so cook low and slow or add after removing food from heat) For a snack, dip fresh vegetables in some of the pesto sauce, or spoon some inside a celery stick.
A little goes a long way. Pesto is rich in taste and in calories. It’s also rich in MUFAs, thanks to the nuts and olive oil, so enjoy a little each day.
KITCHEN TIP
If you struggle with growing your own herbs or live where it’s difficult to have an herb garden, check out the AeroGarden. You can grow herbs, tomatoes, or salad greens (or even flowers) the NASA way, using hydroponic technology. I recently added an AeroGarden to my kitchen, where it sits on my table as a centerpiece. In making my pesto sauce, I had all the fresh herbs I needed at hand. I’ll be the first to admit it’s an extravagance; I could buy lots of herbs at the supermarket for what an AeroGarden costs! On second thought, considering the price of fuel and the fact that I live 12 miles one way from the closest grocery store …
AeroGarden after three weeks
Cheri
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“Chef” Cheri
Filed under cooking
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