Broccoli Rabe, Squash, and Tofu Pasta

This dish is unbelievable! Kelsey and I made it last night for dinner and it was the perfect combination of ingredients to create a healthy, vegetarian dish. I thought the dish was perfect because of the sweet and spicy combination along with the use of the brown rice pasta and veggies creating such a healthy main-course. Kelsey said, "I love this dish because of the different textures it has and the large amount of veggies thrown into it." We both had never cooked with Broccoli Rabe before and it was delicious; a mix between brocolli and kale, I mean how healthy is that!?! The pan-glazed tofu was sweet with a kick and really added to the overall taste of the dish that really did not need any type of sauce (which I was hesitant about). Try it, I promise you will not be disappointed!

Broccoli Rabe, Squash, and Tofu Pasta
from Bella Eats

1 small butternut squash (1 lb) peeled and cubed
pan glazed tofu (recipe below)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. broccoli rabe
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 lb. brown rice pasta (fusilli)
1/2 cup grated pasta
salt and pepper to taste

1. preheat the oven to 400* and put the cubed squash in a baking dish tossed with 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes.

2. Pan glazed tofu
12oz extra firm tofu cut into 1" x 1.5" cubes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup veggie oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1. Cook the tofu for 6 minutes on each side in about 1 tbsp. of olive oil (do not touch the tofu while cooking, except to flip at 6 minutes to allow it to firm up in the pan on each side). While cooking mix the veggie oil, garlic, honey, vinegar, and red pepper flakes together.

2. After the 12 minutes pour the mixed sauce over the top and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to about 1/2 its original amount. Remove tofu from pan, but keep sauce in pan for use in a future step.

3. Cut the broccoli rabe into 1/2 inch pieces and in a large pot of boiling water, cook for 4 minutes then blanch in a bowl of ice-cold water.

4. In the pan with the remaining sauce mixture saute the onions, cooked squash, and 2 minced garlic cloves for 5 minutes, add the brocolli rabe and tofu to the pan and set-aside off heat.

5. Follow the instructions and cook the pasta, after pasta is ready mix all of the ingredients together and serve with grated or shaved parmesan on top.

We paired it with some asparagus Kelsey wanted to use up, but there is so much goodness in this dish it could sit on its own! Enjoy!

RR - Tavolata : Italian Food : Belltown

I created a list of restaurants I'd like to try in Seattle that I continually add to because I find comfort going to the same restaurants all the time because they are my staples, like El Camino in Fremont, and I need to branch out and try all of the great spots Seattle has to offer.

I live on the top of Queen Anne, so when How to Cook a Wolf opened a few months ago we went to check-out what the commotion was about; I mean a crowd of people every night (it's open 5-10pm daily). Needless to say after trying it I was not disappointed. How to Cook a Wolf's rustic vibe and quality ingredients leaves you with an amazing experience and a full belly at the end of the night. It is definitely not a place offering a ton of vegetarian fare, but if you love quality meat and pastas it is to die for! Chad claims it is his favorite restaurant in Seattle, which is why we wanted to try its sister Tavolata!

This weekend we finally crossed off Tavolata in Belltown. While Tavolata had a lot of the same appeal of the rustic environment as its sister restaurant the seating was different. We did make reservations, but were still placed in a long table next to strangers in the center of the restaurant, rather than the duo-side tables (which I would have preferred) lining the walls. If we had been in a group the long table would have been ideal, but on a date it wasn't. Besides the dislike for the table the food was just as good as How to Cook a Wolf, but offered other surprises!

Our menu:
Wine: Pinot Noir
To Start: Olives, Oysters, and Prosciutto di Parma
Main: Potato Gnocchi
Dessert: Warm Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ice Cream

Everything was great minus one-item. The oysters were deliciously displayed (in shell sitting over a bed of ice), but the lime sauce they were served with was too overpowering and really didn't showcase how fresh the oysters seemed to be. I do need to touch briefly on the olives; both restaurants serve the fresh olive bowl and while I have always been a fan of olives these are the freshest, best olives I have ever had and could not recommend a dish any higher!

Hope you enjoy Tavolata and comment to let others know what you think!

Now...which restaurant to cross off next....

Smoked Salmon Dip

Last week for girl's night I wanted to make an appetizer (since I hadn't made one in a while) and thought it would be nice to use a smoked salmon my mom had given me a couple weeks ago. I love putting smoked salmon on a nice plate with crackers for a simple appetizer, but thought it might be nice to try to put together a dip that was FAT FREE! I found this smoked salmon dip and saw that it was sour cream based (most dips I find are cream cheese based and I am not a huge fan of non-fat cream cheese because of the change in texture, but usually I can not tell the difference between regular and fat-free sour cream when mixed with other ingredients). Anyhow, this dip was a hit and really simple to make! Enjoy:)

Smoked Salmon Dip
from Food Network

1 pint (2 cups) fat free sour cream
1 tbsp double concentrate tomatoe paste
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. drained capers
1/2 medium red onion (chopped)
1/4 lb. smoked salmon (I ended up using 3/4 lb! I love dips that have a little bit more consistency, so adding more made it more hearty and delcious)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium bowl mix the first 3 ingredients

2. After combined, stir in the capers and conions

3. Fold in the salmon, season with salt and pepper and serve!

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

I made this recipe last night for a light and healthy dinner. Salmon is so popular in the Northwest that it always seems to be my fish of choice when I want something healthy (especially for your skin with the Omega 3 fatty acids) and filling. I made it with some wild rice and a grape, blue cheese, almond salad. It's quick and easy too with cooking time only being about 30 minutes total (with side-dishes)! The 1 lb of salmon makes plenty for 4 portions, but my boyfriend and I did eat 3 servings between the two of us, so depending on how hungry you are keep that in mind (I cut one piece in 1/2 in my second set of pictures to show how big a serving would be). This recipe is sure to make you feel good and keep you from unbuttoning your top button after a meal (which happens way too often to me..ha)! Enjoy!

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon
from Eating Well1 scallion
2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 lb. center-cut salmon fillet (4 portions)
1 tsp sesame seeds

1. Whisk the first 5 ingredients together

2. Put 3 tbsp. of marinade in a ziploc bag with the salmon to marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes
3. Preheat the broiler and place aluminum foil a cooking sheet

4. Place the sheet (with salmon) 4-6 inches away from the broiler and cook for 6-10 minutes **the salmon was done for me in 7 minutes!


5. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the salmon and garnish with sesame seeds

Enjoy!

Lemon and Basil Fettucine with Garlic Prawns

I went with my sister and brother up to Sandy Point (an area about 30 minutes South of the Canadian border) this last weekend to celebrate my brother's birthday with a little outdoor activity (fishing and crabbing). I planned the menu and decided to make something that my sister (who is very selective about the meats she eats) and brother (who is not selective at all) would enjoy. I have made this dish once before for our girl's night, so I knew it would be enjoyable for all. It is relatively simple and only takes a total of 25-30 minutes to make. I believe I originally may have received this recipe from my oldest sister Laurie who lives over in Germany, but I can't seem to place the email (she sends me recipes every once in a while as recommendations of what to make for girl's night - yes, she's awesome). OH...and yes, please check-out her amazing blog. She is a great vegetarian cook and I get a ton of my recipes from her postings. Anyhow, enjoy this one; it's an easy recipe and a real crowd pleaser!

Lemon & Basil Fettucine with Garlic Prawns
from Cumin & Coriander's Blog

Prawns:
14-20 Large Prawns
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Pasta:
Fettucine Pasta
1 Lemon
1 tbsp. EVOO
1/3 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp. cream
1 egg
basil leaves (1 cup) torn
sea salt/cracked pepper

1. Cook pasta according to box directions (keep warm)

2. Prawns - heat olive oil, mix garlic for 30 seconds, throw prawns in and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook.


3. Mix lemon, EVOO, parmesan, cream and egg in bowl. Pour over pasta and toss with prawns, basil, salt and pepper. Serve immediately - delicious!

Crunchy Noodle Salad

This is my go-to salad whenever I know I won't have a ton of time to prepare a dish, but want something fun and filling. The dressing is what gets me on this one; so creamy and delicious! I made it for my book club this week. Our book this month was The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz and the entire book club's consensus was "You should read it if you haven't!" It's well written, teaches you a lot about the Dominican Republic and it also emphasizes being kind to others. My girlfriend Caitlin actually said growing up when her mom would drop her off at school she'd say, "Caitlin, today talk to someone no one else is talking to and be nice to someone no one is being nice to." How great is that advice for a young kid?! Caitlin definitely is one of the most compassionate people I know and no doubt because of her mom's guidance! Enjoy this salad and hopefully it'll be while you read this book!

Crunchy Noodle Salad

1/2 lb. thin spaghetti
1 lb. sugar snap peas
2 red bell peppers - thinly sliced
4 scallions - sliced dragonfly
3 tbsp. chopping parsley

Dressing:
1/2 cup veggie oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 tbsp. honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside

2. Boil a large pot of water, add the snap peas, return to boil for 3-5 minutes. Drain and put in ice water.

3. Whisk veggie oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and peanut butter together


4. Combine spaghetti, peas, peppers and scallions. Pour dressing, add parsley, and mix.

Dark Chocolate Crackles

If you are a chocolate lover these will for sure be a winner in your kitchen! The reason I was drawn to these particular cookies (besides their obvious appeal) was the ability to make the dough and then save a portion of the dough-balls for future use. I first tried these cookies at my boyfriend's mom's house and was amazed at how moist and delicious they were (even after being frozen)! There is nothing better than walking into your house to the cozy and delicious smell of home-made cookies, but even better if you do not have time to whip them up, just pulling them out of the freezer for a quick 12 minutes to chocolate-smelling, PRE-homemade heaven! I brought these over to my girl's night this week and Kelsey offered up some ripe strawberries to add to the chocolate, orange burst in your mouth...perfection!

Dark Chocolate Crackles
from Fine Cooking

2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sal t

8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup (2 oz.) unsweetened cocoa, sifted if lumpy

2 tsp finely g rated orange zest

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled until barely warm

3/4 cup (4 oz.) chopped chocolate (white, bittersweet or semisweet)

1/3 cup granulated sugar; more as needed

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350* F. Line three large cookie sheets wit h parchment or nonstick baking liners.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, cocoa, orange zest, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly between additions. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until almost completely blended, about 1 minute. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until blended, about 15 seconds.

3. Shape the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls with a small ice-cream scoop or two tablespoons. (The balls may be frozen for 1 month. Thaw them overnight in the refridgerator before proceeding with the recipe).


4. Pour the granulated sugar into a shallow dish. Dip the top of each ball in the sugar and set the balls sugar side up about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookes are puffled and cracked on top, 11 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

They crackle up and your home smells like a chocolate oasis!

Bon Appetit!