Herb-errific Pasta Frittata

TWO PASTA RECIPES IN ONE WEEK?!  

Who am I, and what have I done with Ally?!

Well, I assure you that I really am myself...I just happen to have found another way that I LOVE to eat my pasta (strange, I know).  As you might have read from the "About" page, I love to watch the Cooking Channel.  In fact, one of my favorite programs is Giada at Home with Giada de Laurentis.  Unsurprisingly, Giada cooks with a lot of pasta (come on, she IS Italian, after all).  The other day she made this pasta frittata that looked sooooooo good.  Seriously, both Bo and I's mouths was watering by the end of the episode.  

A day later, we had a potluck-style party to go to.  So, I decided to look up Giada's recipe online and recreate it.  For the party, I followed her recipe to the tee.  It turned out really well - in fact, I received several rave reviews from party-goers; BUT...that got my wheels turning.  I started to think about ways that I could re-make Giada's admittedly delicious recipe EVEN BETTER with a few minor tweaks.  In the end, I:

• replaced the whipping cream with unsweetened almond milk;
• used 1/2C organic Parmesan and 1/2C organic cheddar cheese (instead of 1C Parmesan);
• replaced the thyme with a mixture of marjoram, oregano, and parsley; and
• garnished the frittata with plain Greek yogurt (the creaminess REALLY sets off the richness of the frittata perfectly).

If I do say so myself (and Bo agrees), I think my version is even better than Giada's!  Granted, her recipe was my inspiration, and without it to kick-start my creativity, I doubt that I would have come up with this dish on my own.  Regardless, I am pretty proud of my final product...and my tummy's pretty happy about it too!

Note: I know that the directions below might seem a little overwhelming; but truthfully, this is actually a very easy dish to make.  I simply wanted to be as clear as possible in my directions.  Don't let them scare you away from making this delectable dish...it's a crowd-pleaser, I promise!

Herb-errific Pasta Frittata
Serves 6-8

6 eggs (I used organic and vegetarian fed)
3T unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)
1/2C organic Parmesan cheese
1/2C organic cheddar cheese, shredded
3tsp dried marjoram
1tsp dried oregano
2tsp dried parsley
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
3C penne pasta, cooked and cooled
2T EVOO
2-4T plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream), for garnish

Directions:

• Heat a large, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
• Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the milk, and whisk until smooth.
• Add the Parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, marjoram, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Stir together.
• Add 1T EVOO to the heated saucepan.
• Add the pasta to the egg/cheese/herb mix, and toss to coat.
• Swirl the EVOO around the saucepan, and then immediately pour in the frittata mixture.
• Gently press down the frittata mixture.
• Cook for eight minutes.
• Loosen the frittata with a large spatula.
• Place a large plate on top and, in one rapid movement, flip the frittata over.
• Add 1T of EVOO to the saucepan, and then re-insert the frittata in the pan with the uncooked side down.
• Cook for an additional five minutes.
• Remove, cool for five minutes, and then slice into wedges.
• Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) alongside a fresh salad.

Just looking at these pictures has me ready for lunch.

I am SO. HAPPY. that we have leftovers!

Question of the Day:

Assuming you eat eggs (which - by the way - is totally cool if you don't...I didn't for years), do you prefer an omelet, a frittata, or a quiche?!  OH, and what are some of your favorite fillings for each?!

Blessings,

Ally and Bo

Whole Food Supper Club: Grande Cena Italiana

Last night Bo and I tried something new: we went to a "Supper Club" hosted by our local Whole Foods (WH).  Come to find out, this is a new monthly event that our WH just started up last month.  We attended only the second event of its kind!

For a four course dinner, the event only cost $15.00 per person, and online registration was required.  Upon arrival, Bo and I were pleasantly surprised to see that the event was SOLD OUT!  Whole Foods must be on to something, because it was a packed house!

As you probably noticed from the title of this post, the theme of last night's Supper Club was "Grande Cena Italiana" (translated as "Big Italian Dinner").

Menu:

Italian Chowder with Cod (or Tofu) & Kale

Mediterranean Crunch Salad

Eggplant Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Tiramisu

The event started off with a brief explanation of what we would be eating, how it was prepared, and an overview of the "Four Pillars of Healthy Eating:"

1. whole food - any food in its most essential, pure, delicious, and basic form: an asparagus spear, a lemon, a scoop of quinoa, or a fillet of salmon;
2. plant-strong - begin to reconfigure your plate so that the majority of your meal is made from an abundance of plant-based foods;
3. healthy fats - eat whole plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados.  Then, work to minimize (or eliminate) the amounts of extracted oils and processed fats you cook with on a daily basis; and
4. nutrient dense - choose foods rich in micronutrients when compared to total caloric content.

Then we got straight to the best part: EATING!

Course #1 was soup: Italian Chowder with Cod & Kale.  I enjoyed my bowl with baked tofu, while Bo enjoyed his with fresh cod.  Overall the soup was delicious.  My only two points of contention were:

1. it is still a little bit too hot outside for me to truly enjoy hot soup (for me, it needs to be at least 65 to warrant hot soup); and
2. a pinch of salt would have taken this dish from "good" to "great"!

Course #2 was salad: Mediterranean Crunch Salad, to be specific.  The salad was one of both Bo and I's favorite courses of the night.  Although the only dressing that it had was a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar, it - surprisingly - didn't need it.  The tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and other vegetables were so flavorful and fresh that they really "popped" on their own.  In retrospect, I think that a heavy or creamy dressing would have just overwhelmed the natural flavors completely!

As you can see, I had no problem polishing off my entire salad...hehehe. :)

Throughout the evening, we drank Cucumber and Lemon Infused Water.  Who knew that something as simple as a few sliced of cucumber and lemons could elevate boring table water to something spectacular?  You better believe I will be recreating this at home!

For our main course, we enjoyed Eggplant Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash Noodles.  By far, the bolognese was my favorite part of the dish.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spaghetti squash as much as the next person, but the vegetables were really far and above better than their "noodle" counterparts.

Again, the squash could have used some garlic, salt, pepper, and maybe even a little EVOO (while the bolognese was delicious all on its own).  I know that the point of the dinner was to show us how plant-based, fresh, food can be delicious without the added sodium and fat (i.e. oil), but a little bit really would have gone a long way here.

In the end, I ate all of the bolognese while leaving about half of the squash on my plate!

Course #4 was, by no surprise, another one of Bo and I's favorites of the evening.  I mean, truly, who can say no to decadent tiramisu?!  Surprisingly, the tiramisu was vegan!  To prove it to you, here is the ingredient list:

• 4 cups medjool dates, pitted
• 2 1/2 cups water;
• 4oz. espresso;
• 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked and drained;
• 1 cup coconut milk;
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour;
• 1T baking powder;
• 1/2 tsp sea salt;
• 1 tsp lemon juice;
• 2 tsp vanilla extract;
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon; and
• 2T cocoa powder.

Creamy, D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S., and sinfully good, this dessert was as good as any tiramisu I have ever eaten.  Even Bo said that he never would have guessed it was vegan and relatively healthy!

Obviously, we both ate every single bite (and I might have even used my finger to swipe off the remaining cream a time or two). ;)

More photographic evidence of the deliciousness.

By the end of the evening, we were fulled (but not stuffed), a little bit more educated on healthy foods (but not overly inundated), and relaxed (the sign of any good date night, if you ask me).  I definitely think that we would be interested in attending another "Supper Club" at Whole Foods.  In fact, next months menu is already looking pretty intriguing:

• Yellow Split-Pea and Sweet Potato Soup;
• Kale Waldorf Salad;
• Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms; and
• Banana Ice Cream Cake.

Sounds pretty good, right?!

Question of the Day:

What sort of unique events does your community offer (and I'm not just talking about grocery stores here, it can be an event hosted by your local mall, pet store, etc.)?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Zucchini and Mushroom Flatbread with Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce

Like many people, but perhaps more than most, I am a creature of habit.  

For example:

Since all of my yoga classes are taught either in the morning or in the late evening, I am almost always home between the hours of noon-5:00PM.  As a result, from 3:00-4:00PM I watch back-to-back episodes of Giada at Home, and from 4:00-5:00PM I watch back-to-back episodes of the Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics.  As you might expect, I frequently get ideas for new recipes from their shows.  Just the other day Giada made this Zucchini and Olive Flatbread.  Since we had been craving Italian cuisine - especially pizza - for a few days, I thought that this recipe might just fit the bill...

The problem was, although I find them delicious, Bo really dislikes olives.  Therefore, I couldn't simply remake Giada's recipe.  No, instead, I would need to rework it to suite our tastes (not to mention what we had on hand in the refrigerator/pantry).

After gathering up some mushrooms that we bought at the farmer's market this past weekend, as well as a few additional spices and concocting a homemade tomato dipping sauce, I knew that I was onto something good!

With its thin crust and herb-infused flavor, this flatbread is one of the many perfect ways to enjoy summer's most beautiful vegetables.  As a suggestion, don't smother the delicate flavors of the zucchini and mushrooms by drowning them in cheese.  Instead, sprinkle on just enough to complement the freshness of both the vegetables and the herbs.  You will leave the dinner table satisfied - but not stuffed - with ample room for dessert! ;)

Zucchini and Mushroom Flatbread
Serves 4-6

All-purpose flour for dusting
1 lb. homemade pizza dough (or pre-made from your grocery store or local pizzeria)
2 T EVOO, divided
3 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons
7 portabellini mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
4 oz. shredded organic mozzarella cheese (or cheese substitute)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough into a thin, large rectangular shape.
• Transfer the dough onto a greased baking sheet.
• Prick the dough with a fork, and drizzle 1T of EVOO on top.
• Arrange the zucchini and mushrooms on the flatbread.
• Drizzle the other 1T of EVOO on top of the vegetables.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes.
• Pull the flatbread out of the oven.  
• Sprinkle the oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cheese on top.
• Return to the oven to bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
• Allow the flatbread to cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve alongside Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce (recipe below).

No surprise here, but I love a little tomato something-or-other with my Italian cuisine.  As good as the Zucchini and Mushroom Flatbread was, it seemed to be calling out for some tomato-based pairing.  Since I didn't have any canned pasta sauce on hand, I decided to use what I did have to whip up something homemade.  And whaddya know but my tomato sauce experimentation turned out better than any canned sauce I have had in a looong while!

Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce
Serves 4

1 can diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

• Pour the diced tomatoes into a small saucepan warmed over medium high heat.
• Immediately add the minced garlic cloves.
• Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to low and use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes and garlic.
• Add the garlic powder, oregano, basil, and cayenne pepper.
• Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Serve with homemade bread sticks, flatbread, or on your favorite pasta!

Question of the Day:


Do you usually follow recipes "by the book," or do you experiment and tweak them as you go along?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Panzanella Salad

Before the age of 25, I had never even heard of Panzanella salad.  The salads I grew up with were your average garden variety.  Don't get me wrong, they were always delicious, but in general they consisted of lettuce, carrots, celery, and tomatoes topped with whatever bottled dressing was currently stocking our refrigerator door.  These days I like to change it up a little (okay, a LOT) when it comes to my salad repertoire.  So last night, when I saw a half-eaten loaf of Seeduction Bread from Whole Foods staring at me, I realized that I needed to come up with something that would use up several slices of this soon-to-be-stale bread.  A number of things ran through my head:

• bread pudding - no...that's too sweet;
• savory bread pudding - eh...still too much work; and
• french toast - nah...too breakfastey AND too sweet.

And then it hit me!  

I remembered a time, about three years ago, when I was staying with a dear friend for a week or two.  This friend is a foodie, like me, and one summer evening she whipped together this amazing bread and vegetable salad and called it Panzanella.  It was d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.!  Thinking back on it, I honestly can't believe that I have waited so long to recreate the dish in my own kitchen.

Well, wait no longer!

Panzanella is here!

Specifically, Panzanella is a Florentine salad of bread and tomatoes popular in the summer.  It includes chunks of soaked stale bread and tomatoes, sometimes also onions and basil, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  It is also popular in other parts of central Italy.

Panzanella salad is an Italian salad that was probably an invention of necessity.  Italian cooks waste nothing, and this was a way to utilize stale bread and vegetables from the garden.  The record of Panzanella goes back centuries.  In the 1500's, a poem by the famous artist, Bronzino, described the salad.  Of course, the tomato was quite a few years from being introduced into the Italian kitchen.  Therefore, until the 20th century, Panzanella was based on onions.  

[Today, Panzanella] always includes bread and tomatoes plus vegetables from the garden.  Vegetables can include cucumbers and onions.  Other ingredients - lettuce, olives, mozarella, white wine, capers, anchovies, celery, carrots, red wine, tuna, parsley, boiled eggs, mint, bell peppers, lemon juice, and garlic - are sometimes used, but Florentine traditionalists disapprove of them.  (Source 1 and Source 2)

Here is my version of the classic Italian dish, using many of the vegetables that we found at the Riverside Arts Market this past Saturday!

Panzanella Salad
Serves 4

4 pieces stale bread (or bread left out overnight), cubed
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2-3 outer leaves of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 tsp dried parsley
1T dried basil
zest of 1 lemon
6T EVOO
1-2T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Drizzle the cubed bread with 1T EVOO.
• Bake the bread cubes for 15-20 minutes, tossing every 7-8 minutes, until crispy and lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, cook the minced garlic in 1 tsp EVOO until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, romaine, parsley, basil, and lemon zest to a large salad bowl.
• Add the cooked garlic.
• Drizzle in the EVOO and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss to incorporate.
• Add in the baked bread cubes; and toss.
• Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
• Serve, chilled, alongside your protein of choice.

Next time - another book review (and this time the book is neither utopian/dystopian in theme nor Young Adult in genre).  In fact, it's historical fiction, and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Question of the Day:


Have you ever had a Panzanella salad before?  If so, what did you think? If not, have you ever made your own croutons?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo