Lemon Pasta

Jeanine's take on Italian pasta al limone. Bright, fresh, and ready in 20 minutes, it's a delicious weeknight dinner.

Lemon Pasta love & lemons

8 ounces spaghetti

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into pats

2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. In the final minutes of cooking, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.

A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the butter until it foams, then reduce the heat to low and add the lemon zest and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from the heat if your pasta is still cooking.

When the pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer it from the pot to the skillet with the butter mixture. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and cook over low heat, tossing until a sauce forms and lightly coats the pasta. Add half the cheese and toss to incorporate. Add the lemon juice and remaining cheese and toss again, cooking until the sauce is smooth. If it becomes too thick or clumpy, add more pasta water as needed to loosen it. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.

Garnish with more lemon zest and fresh parsley. Serve with more cheese.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Serves 2

Greek Chopped Salad Bowls

So delicious!

Greek Chopped Salad Bowls
brown rice (opt)
lettuce
cucumbers
tomatoes
red onion, thinly sliced
feta cheese
artichokes
bell peppers (and/or roasted bell peppers)
avocado
kalamata olives, sliced in half length-wise

chickpeas (or see opt recipe below)

cooked sliced chicken (opt - I like to use leftover grilled)

Greek Dressing: (from Lexi)

1/4 c EV olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 lemon juiced

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 t fine sea salt

pinch black pepper

Quick Marinated Chickpeas: (also from lexi)

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 T EV olive oil

1/2 t fine sea salt

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t dried oregano

Whisk or shake dressing in a jar. Marinate chickpeas. Assemble salad (with brown rice as a filler on the bottom if desired). Each family member can put on toppings they choose. 

15-min Garlic Butter Chicken (Alexa)

2 T olive oil

1 t dried thyme

1 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

1 t fine sea salt

¼ t ground black pepper

1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (~4)

To a medium mixing bowl, add the olive oil, thyme, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Mix together. Carefully butterfly the check breasts all the way through so you have even filets. Add chicken to the oil and spice blend and coat evenly. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken and let sear for 4 min without moving. Then flip over and sear for another 3 min (165F internally at thickest part). Transfer to a clean plate. Prep 5min, Cook 13min, Total 18 min

Instant Pot Butter Chicken (or Chickpeas)

 I didn't have chicken but wanted to make this and my veggie version turned out so good!! This recipe is a keeper. I left out the chili powder as suggested for kids and had no complaints of it being too hot, but the flavor was still delicious.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken (or Chickpeas) Diana

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic about 5 teaspoons, minced or crushed
2 inch (5 cm) fresh ginger root grated (about 2 tablespoons) (I keep fresh ginger in the freezer to grate)
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon chili powder (spicy element, optional - see notes)
1 teaspoon salt add more if needed
2 pounds (900 grams) chicken thighs skinless, boneless, diced into bite-size pieces (or 2 cans drained chickpeas and cook for 4 mins. Also add more water to avoid burn message. Then add 1 cup or so of frozen peas when adding the heavy cream at the end)
1 15-ounce can (425 grams) tomato sauce or passata
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream or coconut milk, or half and half*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or mint or cilantro, for garnish

• On the Instant Pot press on SAUTE and melt the butter. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add all of the spices, and the salt, stir, and cook for a minute. You might want to deglaze the pot at this point if the mixture is stuck to the bottom of the pot, just add a splash of water and scrape off any stuck bits with a wooden spoon. Then add the tomato sauce (passata) and a ¼ cup of water. Switch off the saute setting.
• Add the chicken thighs, give everything a mix.
• Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 6 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam.
• Carefully remove the lid, and press on SAUTE. Stir in the cream, and allow the sauce to reduce a little (season with more salt if necessary). Taste the sauce and see if you need to add a little bit more salt. Serve warm over rice with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Notes

1. Do not add water, the chicken will produce enough liquid for the Instant Pot to come to pressure (if worried you might get a BURN message, read note #8).
2. Chicken breasts can also be used in this recipe, however, chicken thighs are more flavorful and are more tender. If using chicken breasts, pressure cook for 5 minutes.
3. The Passata sauce can be substituted with tomato sauce, or a can of plain tomatoes that are blended and sieved.
4. You can substitute heavy cream with half and half, or coconut milk for a non-dairy option. Keep in mind that the sauce won't be as creamy as if you use heavy cream.
5. This dish is medium spicy (heat), so if you're feeding children then I recommend that you leave the chili powder out.
6. You can skip sautéing the garlic and ginger for a speedy dinner, but the ginger might have a little bite if left without the sautéing. 
7. Do not add the cream before pressure cooking as it might separate.
8. If you double the ingredients, do not adjust the cooking time.
9. You should not get a BURN message, unless you're using less tomato sauce than indicated in the recipe. I also heard that newer Instant Pot models show BURN messages more often. If you get a burn message, add 1/4 cup of water to the sauce and using a wooden spoon scrape off any bits that are stuck to the bottom and start the Instant Pot again.
10. Traditionally, a little bit of sugar is added to the sauce to make it sweeter. I personally don't add any sugar to my butter chicken, and it tastes great.
11. You can stir in more butter in the sauce after pressure cooking for a creamier texture. This recipe calls for butter just to saute the aromatics, and it tastes wonderful. But you can add more butter at the end if you like.
12. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. The recommended herbs for garnish are fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and parsley.
13. Serve with Instant Pot basmati or brown rice, and/or fresh naan.
14. If you store the leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken up. Reheat in the microwave by adding a splash of water and mix. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
15. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
16. The recipe makes 4 large portions or 5-6 medium portions.

Instant Pot Chicken Burritos

Quick and easy!

Instant Pot Chicken Burritos  Stephani Jenkins

1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks 

2¼ c. broth or water 

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. paprika

2 tsp. of chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 c. black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 15-ounce can)

2 c. frozen corn

2 c. salsa, homemade or store-bought

1 c. uncooked, extra-long grain rice

2 cups shredded cheese (Colby jack, Monterey jack, or cheddar) 

Optional Toppings:

Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Fresh Diced Tomatoes

Diced Green Onions

Sour Cream

Guacamole

In the Instant Pot, stir together the chicken, garlic, onion, paprika, chili powder, cumin, beans, corn, salsa, and broth. Pour the rice over the top of the ingredients, but do not stir it. Select manual settings; make sure the pressure is set to high and set the time for 10 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. Stir in cheese until melted, about 1 minute. Serve in bowls immediately and top as desired.

Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Loved this recipe, especially with all the toppings! I doubled it which made a TON (filled the crock pot), so I freezed some for later (would be so easy to thaw, put in a casserole dish in the oven and serve) and also put some leftovers in the fridge.

(picture from their site)

Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole Jessica

2 ¼ cups vegetable broth (540ml)

1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa (270g)

15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (425g)

15 oz can corn kernels, drained and rinsed (418g)

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, about 2 cups (do not drain) (411g)

1 cup enchilada sauce (150ml)

¾ cup chopped green bell pepper (roughly 100g)

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper (roughly 100g)

1 medium onion chopped OR ½ large red onion (100g)

5 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon chili powder or chipotle powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder

juice of 1 large lime about 1 ½ tablespoons

1 ¼ cups mozzarella cheese or a mix if you like

TO GARNISH: chopped parsley or cilantro, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, green onions

Add the veggie broth, and then all the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese and the lime into the slow cooker. Stir a few times to completely combine. Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 2 to 2 ½ hours. When there are about 10 minutes left, open the slow cooker and add the lime juice and ½ the cheese. Stir it in as best as you can, then smooth the mix back flat again. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place the lid back on and let it cook for the last 10 minutes. When the casserole is ready, serve with your favourite toppings. Enjoy!

This quinoa enchilada casserole lasts in the fridge for a week. You can freeze it very easily in an air-tight Tupperware container.

Easy healthy banana oat waffles

 So fast, healthy and delicious!

Easy healthy banana oat waffles Simply Delicious 

(Picture from their site)

Total Time 20 minutes, Servings 4

1 cup rolled oats

2 medium bananas chopped

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt optional

to serve:

Fresh fruit of your choice

honey/maple syrup

peanut/almond butter

yoghurt

Place all the batter ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat a waffle maker/iron and pour in a few tablespoons of batter. Cook until the waffles are golden brown and cooked through.

Pan Roasted Dinners

Meal idea from Rebecca Kraxberger. I love the pesto version.

Pan Roasted Dinner

Chop up your favorite vegetables (or what you have on hand OR use a bag of frozen veggies) into a big bowl.   (i.e. squash, sweet potato, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrots, etc.)

Add a protein, if desired.

Drizzle olive oil on top, then sprinkle with seasonings (OR use pesto or marinated feta).

Mix well and spread on baking sheet.

Roast at 425 for ~30 minutes.

Super Easy Veggie Crockpot Lasagna

 This was so good and so good for you! I didn't use wavy edge noodles or fresh parsley, but it turned out amazing. Loved the added pesto flavor.

I ended up cooking this in the instant pot on slow cooker setting for 2.5 hours, then let it sit for about 45min.

Super Easy Veggie Crockpot Lasagna  Pinch Of Yum

website picture

• 2 24-ounce jars or cans of Italian tomato sauce (see notes)
• 9 thick lasagna noodles with wavy edges (mine were called bronze cut)
• 24 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese OR cottage cheese
• 3–4 cups chopped vegetables of choice (I usually use kale and/or spinach)
• Pesto (to taste)
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
• Parmesan cheese for topping
• fresh parsley for topping

Spray the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce to the bottom so the noodles don’t stick. Break noodles so that they fit and mostly cover the bottom. They will probably be awkward looking – not a big deal. Cover with about one third of the ricotta, veggies, pesto, sauce, cheese, and end with noodles. Repeat layers two more times for a total of three complete layers. End with a layer of noodles on top, covered with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit more shredded cheese. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. 

Turn the crockpot off completely and let the lasagna sit for at least one hour. This allows all the moisture to get soaked into the lasagna, and if you don’t do this it will probably be more like lasagna soup – still good, but not pretty. Depending on how long you let it sit, you can either scoop pieces out or just cut with a knife like normal lasagna.

NOTES

I didn’t use ALL the sauce in both jars – I probably used a total of 36 ounces (about one and a half jars), and it was really saucy.

Total Time: 4.5 hours or 7 hours

Source: Pinch of Yum