Pasta with Peas, Smoked Almonds & Dill

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it.....it totally reminds me of one of my favorite appetizers - Hippie Peas!!! It has a similar flavor to the hippie peas.....so, if you are also a fan, I think you will enjoy this pasta dish. My husband gave it the big thumbs up (he really liked the dressing).  My favorite element was the smoked almonds- yum, yum, yum! Make sure you do not add the almonds until right before eating or they will get soggy. Enjoy!

**I cut this recipe in half and it was enough for two people. Even though I cut the recipe in half, I still made the full amount of dressing and I used nearly all of it. Just keep that in mind!**

I found this recipe on the blog A Spicy Perspective. Here is the recipe word for word:

Ingredients:

• 16 ounce small dry pasta (ditalini, macaroni)
• 10 ounce fresh or frozen sweet peas
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup chopped smoked almonds

Dressing:

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cooking the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Two minutes before it's ready, add the peas to the boiling water. Once the peas have warmed through, drain the pasta and peas. <honestly, I didn't add the peas to the boiling water because I was afraid it was make them mushy.....I just added the frozen peas to the hot pasta after I drained it....it was perfect>. Pour the pasta with peas into a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, and oil together in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour the dressing over the pasta and mix well.
3. Add the dill and green onions and toss. When ready to serve, sprinkle with smoked almonds.

Southwestern Pumpkin & Roasted Pepper Soup

This slightly spicy soup was warm and cozy on this cold winter night. My husband (and two out of three kids) gave it a big thumbs up! Very yummy!!!

This recipe comes from that culinary genius over at Cafe Sucre Farine. Please check out her blog- everything this woman makes is pure gold!

Here is her recipe word-for-word:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, halved
1 large onion, quartered
1 small jalapeño, seeded and halved
4 large carrots, cut in approximately 1 inch slices
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, that has sugar and spices added)
1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt or, to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salted, hulled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
finely sliced fresh cilantro stems

Preheat oven to 450˚F. Lightly oil or spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.

Combine cumin, coriander, chili powder, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl.

Combine onion, shallots, carrots and jalapeño in a medium size bowl. Drizzle olive oil over veggies and stir to coat. Add spice mixture and stir again, till well coated.

Transfer veggie mixture to prepared pan, being careful to scrape all the spices and oil out of the bowl.

Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Stir and re-distribute veggies to a single layer. Roast for another 10 minutes or until beginning to brown.

While veggies are roasting, combine pumpkin puree, roasted red peppers, coconut milk, chicken broth, oregano and salt in a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. When veggies are finished roasting, transfer them to the dutch oven.

Return soup to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Puree mixture in a regular blender** or use an immersion blender right in the pot. Puree till smooth and silky.

Garnish with pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) and finely chopped cilantro stems*

Notes:
~ * Cilantro stems are edible and are actually the most flavor-packed part of the plant! They also give a nice little crunch as a soup topping.
~ ** If you use a regular blender, allow soup to cool a bit. then puree it in batches, otherwise you'll have a huge mess when you turn the blender on. I use a immersion blender (also known as a stick blender) for soups and lots of other things. They are very inexpensive and save a lot of time.

Chia Seed "Donuts"

These chia-seed donuts are so scrumptious; I just LOVE them!!!! The ingredients are very few and the recipe itself couldn't be easier. I found this recipe in my favorite vegan cookbook, Oh She Glows by Angela Liddon.  These donuts make a healthy, filling breakfast or snack without any guilt whatsoever!!!

If you do not have a donut pan, do not fret! A muffin pan works nicely instead (the donut shape is just so fun). 

*This recipe makes only 6 donuts. So, if you want more, it can easily be doubled. 

3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup <I used coconut nectar; you could use honey, as well>
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 F.  

 

Lightly grease a 6-cup donut pan <you can use a muffin pan instead>.

In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, chia seeds, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

 

Add the maple syrup, milk, and vanilla and stir until combined.  (The batter will be runny.)

 

Spoon the batter in into your donut pan.

 

Bake donuts for 22 minutes, or until firm to touch.

 

Cool donuts in pan for 10 minutes then carefully pop them out to cool further on a cooling rack.

 

Enjoy!