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

Light and Lemon-y Pasta

Night before last I was (strangely) craving pasta.  Usually, pasta is not my thing.  I'm not sure why, but I just don't really crave it...maybe it's because I usually find it to be too heavy and unsatisfying.  More times than not, I end up making it for Bo, and throwing together something else completely for myself.

Not two night ago.

Surprisingly, I actually wanted pasta, AND I wanted the last of our summer tomatoes.  So, I threw together a light and lemon-y pasta dish that satisfied all of my cravings.  The result was colorful, nutritionally balanced, and - most importantly - delicious!

Light and Lemon-y Pasta
Serves 2

2 campari tomatoes, diced
2 handfuls of spinach, torn
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2C uncooked pasta
1/2 lemon (squeezed to remove juice)
1/2T EVOO
1/4C Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 avocado, diced

Directions:

• Add the diced tomatoes, torn spinach, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl.
• Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice and EVOO.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and then immediately add it to the tomato/spinach/lemon zest mixture.  Toss together.
• Add the Parmesan cheese, and then pour the lemon juice and EVOO dressing on top.
• Toss to incorporate and melt the cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish with avocado chunks, and serve quickly (before the avocado turn brown).

Oh hi Lola!  

(Thanks for poppin' in!)

You can always count on Lola to be close by whenever food is involved...surprisingly, she loves ALL food (i.e. not just meat and peanut butter).  Even if I am cooking a vegan/vegetarian dish, she is directly under-foot and intently interested (and hopeful that I might drop a mouthful - or two)!

I captured the perfect lighting in the picture below (probably my favorite out of the bunch).  You can really see all of the dish's colors in this one:

• red from the tomatoes;
• green from the spinach and avocado;
• brown from the pasta;
• yellow from the lemon zest; and
• flecks of white from the Parmesan cheese.  

Hmm...hmmm...good!

As a TOTAL tangent: 

Look at how much my hair is growing!

Remember when is was THIS short?!

(That was last Thanksgiving...less than a year ago!)

Now it is just above my shoulders, and I can almost pull it into a full ponytail.  

For now, I am just going to keep letting it grow.  I don't really have any specific length in mind...as long as it continues to look healthy and shiny then I will just keep letting it get longer.  Who knows, maybe one day it will get this long...

Question of the Day:

What's your favorite pasta shape? Macaroni? Penne? Spaghetti? Lasagna? Shell? Orzo?

Personally, I like shells and penne because they capture lots of yummy sauce inside! :)

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Summer Picnic With My Love

Even though Bo and I are married, live in the same house, sleep in the same bed, and see each other (almost) every day, sometimes we forget that "date nights" (or, in this case, "date afternoons") are still important.  And since, by some miracle, we both had today completely off from work, we decided to go on a picnic!

This morning, I spent an hour or so whipping up a special lunch; and I must admit that I felt like a regular Giada de Laurentis in the kitchen! :)  By 12:30 we were both starving and ready to hit the road!

Thankfully, we didn't have to travel far.  Less than a mile away is a local park; and since dogs are allowed, we decided to bring Lola along for the ride!  She has gotten SO BIG (over 50 pounds!) that now she has to ride in the back seat.  No more floor board of the passenger side for this little Labrador!

While Bo walked Lola around for a couple of minutes, I took my time setting the stage for our picnic date.  I brought an old family quilt along to decorate the table, and then I spread out our feast:

• Warm Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomato Panini;
• Macaroni Salad;
• Minted Fruit Salad (see recipe below); and
• specialty drinks from Whole Foods.

Since Bo wanted a little more protein with his lunch, I added some ham to his sandwich.  In the end, he actually said that he thought the sandwich was a little better without the meat.  SCORE for the vegetarians!

I guzzled my lunch down with Virgil's Zero Cream Soda, while Bo sipped on Steaz Zero Calorie Orange.  Both were delicious; but truth be told, my cream soda was the best out of the two.  It really tasted like the real thing!

Lola sitting pretty for a treat!

My handsome hubby enjoying his panini.

Me - chowing down.

(And yes, I burned my bread.  

What can I say, I am my mother's daughter (hehehe)!)

Absolutely LOVING what natural light does to my photography skills!  

Lesson: I think I need to take more pictures outside!

This fruit salad was simple and out-of-this-world delicious!  It was - in both of our opinions - the best part of the whole picnic.  And since I know you want it, here is the quick and easy recipe:

Minted Fruit Salad
Serves 2

8 medium strawberries, diced
1/2 C blueberries
1 medium nectarine, diced
1 packet of stevia
1/2T lemonjuice
1/2 tsp dried mint

Directions:

1. Add the strawberries, blueberries, and nectarine to a small mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle the stevia, lemonjuice, and mint over top.
3. Toss to incorporate.
4. Chill until ready to serve.

It really is as easy as 1-2-3-4!

Lola chillin' in the shade...no doubt wishing she could play with the kids on the playground.

This macaroni pasta salad wasn't my recipe, and it wasn't a home-run.  Truthfully, it was just so-so.  Next time, I think I would do better to just come up with something of my own.  Regardless, it did hit the spot when Bo and I were still a little hungry after eating our sandwiches (Bo has a full sandwich, I just had a half). 

Yummm...

All gone. :)

Afterwards, we took a little walk to help digest our food.  Since it was VERY hot, we tried to stay in the shade as much as possible.  We watched Lola carefully to make sure she didn't overheat, and we also gave her lot and LOTS of water.

At one point, we even talked Lola into playing on the playground!

She and her Daddy even went down the slide!  

(I'm not sure she enjoyed it.)

We didn't get a picture of it, but Lola thought the swings were so. much. fun.  While I was swinging, she kept trying to jump up and catch me!  It was too funny to watch her.  On the one hand she was totally confused by what was going on; while on the other hand she thought it was this new game that she couldn't wait to play. I can't wait to see what Lola will be like when we bring our future children to the playground.

It is certainly something to look forward to...

Next up:  a creative way to use up all of the zucchini that is abounding in your garden/local grocery store!  Delicious AND healthy potato filling anyone?!

Question of the Day:


When is the last time you went on a date with your significant other, and what did you do?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Summer Vegetable Soup

ANNOUNCEMENT: Today I am a "Guest Blogger" over at Nutrition in a peanut shell!  Katie writes an awesome blog, and while she is on vacation she invited me to keep her readers company.  I am super duper honored to be filling Katie's shoes for the day.  So go ahead, click on over and see what I had to share?!

As much as I love to roast vegetables, sometimes I like a little "change of pace."  Even though the Florida temperatures have been scorching for the past few days weeks months,  last night I was actually craving - of all things - soup.

So, I decided to do a little bit of research on some of my favorite blogs and ended up settling on Ashley's recipe for "Very Veggie Soup."  Quite the creative maven in the kitchen, Ashley also comes up with budget-friendly recipes that use ingredients that almost everyone has lying around in their kitchen (i.e. no fancy coconut flours, rice syrups, and xantham gums there!).  With that said, I did make a few alterations to Ashley's recipe.

Specifically:

• instead of 75oz. of broth, I used 6 cups (we prefer a chunkier soups);
• in place of the broccoli and mushrooms I used cauliflower and zucchini (those were the vegetables I had on hand);
• I reduced the oil to 1T;
• I added several herbs including parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper (In my opinion, the more herbs the merrier!);
• I added 1/2 package of whole wheat fettuccine noodles; and
• I didn't add any additional protein (I didn't have anything on hand that would have worked very well).

It might seem a bit strange to you, but Bo and I enjoyed eating this soup chilled, with a large salad on the side.  Filled with vegetables, noodles, and herb-enriched flavor, this soup is summer in a bowl!  For extra protein, feel free to add diced chicken, sausage, quinoa, or garbanzo beans.

Summer Vegetable Soup
Serves 4

6 C vegetable broth
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 package whole wheat fettuccine
1T EVOO
1/4C low-sodium soy sauce
1T honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

• Bring the broth to a low boil.
• Add the carrots, celery, onion, cauliflower, and zucchini.
• Cook for five minutes.
• Add the EVOO, soy sauce, honey, paprika, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the noodles and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
• Serve warm, or chilled, accordingly to preference.

Don't forget to CHECK OUT MY GUEST POST over at Nutrition in a peanut shell!

Next time - I'll share the secret behind my homemade peach jam (no canning required!).  If you like fruit, jams, and compotes you won't want to miss this!

Question of the Day:


Do you still eat soup in the summertime...gazpacho anyone?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Butternut Squash and Avocado Cream Pasta

In today's post I am getting back to the ABC blog's roots!  Between moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Jacksonville, FL, settling into a new home and community, starting several new jobs, and making it on my own while Bo was away for a few weeks, I haven't had much energy or much time to dedicate to creating new recipes.  Well, today's post changes all of that.  I have a WONDERFUL new recipe to share with all of you!

Footnote: Thanks for sticking with me these past few weeks!

So let's get right to it!  Last night I was craving pasta...which was weird...at least for me.  As some of you might know, I am not the world's largest pasta fan.  Usually, I will choose rice/millet/barley/quinoa/bread over pasta any day of the week!

Well, not last night.  

Pasta was on the brain, and nothing else would suffice!  Thankfully I had roughly two servings left over from a box that I had opened for my mom a couple of weeks ago.  After adding some colorful vegetables and a homemade sauce, there was plenty for a hungry Bo and I for dinner.

A creamy sauce, hearty vegetables, and complex flavors define this extra-ordinary pasta dish.  Take the time to caramelize the onions and roast the butternut squash, and you won't be disappointed with the result.  The Avocado Cream is the perfect accompaniment to the rich root vegetables and hearty pasta!

Butternut Squash and Avocado Cream Pasta
Serves 2-4

2 servings of pasta
1 small butternut squash, cubed
1 large onion, diced
3 stems of kale, torn into bite-size pieces
2 T oil, divided
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt

For the Avocado Cream:
1 avocado
1 rounded T veganaise (or mayonnaise)
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 T lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Toss the cubed butternut squash with salt, cumin, and cayenne, drizzle with 1 T oil, and roast for 30 minutes (tossing half way through).
• Heat 1T oil over medium heat in a saucepan.
• Add onions, and cook for 20-30 minutes until caramelized (low and slow is the name of the game here!).  They should end up looking something like this!

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain, drizzle with oil, and set aside.
• In a blender, add the avocado, veganaise, broth, lime juice, salt, cumin, and cayenne.
• Blend until smooth.
• Once the squash is roasted and the onions are caramelized, toss the pasta, squash, onions, and kale together.
• Sprinkle with an additional dash of salt and cayenne.
• Finally, pour the Avocado Cream over the pasta mixture, and toss to combine.
• Serve immediately to prevent the cream from browning.

Last night, Bo ended up having one plate-full of this pasta around 6:00PM (with a breaded and baked pork chop), and another plate-full around 9:00PM with TWO pork chops!  With that said, although this dish should easily serve 3-4, there was only a small serving leftover for lunch today...

All I can say is, if you can't take my word for how good this pasta is, take Bo's! :)

Question of the Day:

Pasta vs. Rice vs. Bread: which one do you prefer?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Maple-Cinnamon Peanut Butter Dip and Eating Green

Today I am going to share one of my most frequently made and eaten recipes with you!  For those of you that haven't already figured it out here and here, I love peanut butter (could I possibly put any more links into a single sentence?!)!  In fact, I probably eat peanut butter in some form or another 4-5 times a week: mixed into oatmeal, spread on fruit, spread on toast, added to a smoothie, whirled into homemade soft-serve, etc, etc. etc.

Taking peanut butter to the next level, this dip is creamy, spreadable, and slightly sweet - perfect for smearing on fruit or your choice of dunker!

Maple-Cinnamon Peanut Butter Dip
Serves 1-2

2 (heaping) T PB2*
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 T plain yogurt (I used Whole Soy)
1/4-1/2 T maple syrup

Directions:

• Add PB2 and cinnamon to a small bowl.

• Pour in the yogurt and maple syrup.
• Mix until fully combined.

• Serve with your choice of "dippers"!

*Note:  You could probably use creamy PB in place of the PB2 in this recipe.  However, I would not suggest crunchy nut butter because I do not think that it would mix well.  Regardless, because I have not tried this dip with regular PB, I cannot vouch for the result.

Other than this peanut butter dip, I spent much of the remainder of my weekend-mealtimes eating greens.  I would dare to say that there is not a green food that I can think of that I don't enjoy devouring!

On Saturday I made a batch of Spabettie's Spinach Pancakes.  I ended up eating them for lunch both Saturday and Sunday.  Specifically:

• on Saturday I smeared homemade Roasted Garlic and Paprika Hummus on top, and topped it with sliced tomatoes; and
• on Sunday I melted Daiya cheese on top!

YUMM-O!

On Sunday evening, I made Oh She Glows 15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta.  However, I did have to make a few alterations to her recipe, based off what I had on-hand:

• instead of 1/2 lemon juiced, I used 2 T lime juice;
• instead of 1/4 C fresh basil, I used 1/4-1/2 C cilantro;
• instead of 2 T EVOO, I used 2 T sunflower oil; and
• I added two diced red bell peppers. 

I have made the original recipe previously, and I have to say that I prefer this version.  Next time I might alter the recipe even more, and if I do, I will make sure to share it with you!

Next time - a post about "Life in the Navy" thus far!

Question of the Day:

(1) Do you like peanut butter?  If so, how do you prefer to eat it?
(2) Do you enjoy eating your greens (i.e. spinach, asparagus, green beans, peas, avocado, etc.)?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Mexican-Inspired Pasta Toss

Change of plans: no yoga post today.

I was all ready and excited for today's yoga post, when I encountered a snag in my plan. 

You see, my photographer (i.e. Bo) has been working late hours at his other job (i.e. flying for the United States Navy. I know, how dare he, right?!  Hahaha...totally kidding!).  Thus far, I haven't been able to wait up until 10:30-11:00 p.m. for a yoga photo shoot!  Moreover, I have yet to figure out how to set the timer on my camera, much less position it perfectly to capture the yoga poses on my own.  With that said, my next yoga post will just have to wait until my camera man is back in the home office! :)

Instead, today you get a scrumptious pasta dish!

Before Bo left this morning, he asked if I might make him a midnight snack for when he gets home.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, Bo gets quite ravenous in the evening!  It is getting close to our weekly grocery store run, so our refrigerator is a little sparse...especially in the meat category.  So, I needed to get creative and come up with something that was both flavorful and protein-packed. 

I must say, the end-result far exceeded this not-so-pasta-loving-girl's expectations!  (Yeah, I know, I'm weird...I just don't really love pasta all that much.)

Mexican-Inspired Pasta Toss
Serves 3-4

• 2 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
• 1 crooked neck squash, sliced into half moons
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 tsp Herbamare, spicy blend
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 2 servings penne pasta
• 1-2 T cilantro, minced
• EVOO
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
• cheese for garnish (I used Daiya mozzarella)

 Directions:

• Place half-moon zucchini and squash on a greased baking sheet.
• Sprinkle Herbamare, pepper, and cumin over vegetables and toss to coat.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, tossing every 8-10 minutes to ensure even roasting.

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Drain beans.
• Once pasta is cooked, drain, and immediately toss pasta and beans together in a large serving bowl.
• Add minced cilantro, EVOO, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Toss to coat.

• When vegetables begin to brown around their edges, remove from oven and immediately toss into large serving bowl with the pasta mixture.

• Garnish with cheese and an extra sprinkle of cumin.

I think cumin is the key ingredient to this dish.  Actually, cumin is one of my favorite spices!  I was surprised to discover that cumin is among the top 10 selling spices in the U.S.  It plays a key role in spice combinations such as taco seasoning, chili powder, and Mexican and Southwestern dishes. Cumin is also an essential ingredient in virtually every global cuisine, particularly the more trendy foods of North Africa, India and the Middle East. (citation)

In totally unrelated, but too-cute-not-to-post news, take a look at my friend Bethany's son Everett in his Halloween costume!

Isn't he the cutest thing EVER?!

Bethany is so creative.  She crocheted his hat and bib in a few hours!  And take a look at that adorably painted pumpkin!  I almost squealed when they dropped by Halloween night to visit. :)  Everett was just too cute for words!  I can't wait to see what costumes Bethany will come up with in the years to come...

Question of the Day:

Do you have a favorite spice? 

In addition to cumin, I also love cinnamon!  Bo always jokes with me about how much I use cinnamon.  The other day I was making him a turkey and cheese sandwich and he says, "Just make sure you don't put cinnamon on it!" 

I almost sprinkled it on there just to spite him :) hahaha!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo