pasta – Page 3 – Gastography

Summer Roll in a Bowl

November 2, 2019RecipesLeave a Comment

This recipe came out of a craving for veggies and color + yet another scroll through Instagram for inspiration.

Summer rolls can be made a million different ways, but this version incorporates most of my favorite elements – some sort of crunchy brassica, sweetness from carrots, the fresh crispness of cucumber, and a little kick of heat from pretty red chilis.

I also tried to recreate a slightly less suspect in color version of the sweet chili sauce often served with rolled appetizers – and then went a little heavier on the savory components because I really like to doctor my own sauces tableside.

Gluten-free, vegetarian

Summer Roll in a Bowl

The Salad

1 inch fresh ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
1 medium carrot, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1 cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red chili, sliced into matchsticks
2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
1.5 cups red cabbage, finely chopped
2 cups rice noodles, soaked in hot water 10 minutes to soften and drained

The Dressing

2 Tbsp. honey
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. sriracha
3 Tbsp. neutral oil (I used canola)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Toppers

Big hand full chopped nuts for crunch and fat (I had roasted peanuts)
Big hand full chopped cilantro
Protein of choice (Simple poached chicken or shrimp would be great)

Boil water, add the rice noodles to a big bowl, and pour the boiling water over the noodles, making sure they are fully submerged. Let sit while you prep the rest o fly the salad.

Prep the salad veggies and add to a large bowl.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad.

Drain the noodles and add to the salad + dressing, tossing to combine.

Let sit at least half an hour to combine flavors.

Add toppers, toss again and serve.

Serves 3 – 4

Vegan Cheesy Gochujang Noodles

September 7, 2019RecipesLeave a Comment

Some days I don’t know why I get into my head the taste combinations I do. This is not one of those days. For some reason, something a couple I love on YouTube had said in a video I watched who knows how long ago popped into my head and I just couldn’t shake the desire to find out what cheese + Gochujang tasted like.

(Side note: if you like food, are interested in either Asian cuisines or finding out what it’s like to live in either Korea or Japan as a North American expat, check out Simon and Martina’s channel and blog: Eat Your Kimchi. It’s well worth the binge watch. Find them, and the recipe whose vague memory inspired this one here. Now, back to your regularly scheduled blah-blah!)

Now, I can’t do animal cheese, and I’m not even trying to pretend that this version tastes like cheese cheese (I think if I added garlic powder and mustard powder it might – but I’m still reintroducing foods, and Gochujang was my challenge food today), but it has a hint of cheesiness and a nice richness from the coconut milk.

If you’re batch cooking this recipe, maybe add a bit more coconut milk to the mix – mine turned out a bit clumped-together for subsequent meals; it loosened up on heating and stirring, but it could have been a skosh freer in the storage container.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan

Vegan Cheesy Gochujang Noodles

3 Tbsp. gochujang
1/4 c. sesame oil
1/4 c. soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
1.5 in. grated ginger
1/4 c. coconut milk
Garlic oil
Bok choy, chopped
Rice noodles
Green onions
Sesame seeds
Ketjap manis

First, boil some water and set your rice noodles to soak – I do 1/2 – 1 cup per serving.

While the noodles are soaking, chop the bok choy and sautée in a large skillet over medium-high in a few squirts garlic oil. Season with a little sprinkle soy sauce/coconut aminos to season.

While those are both going, whiz together the ingredients from coconut milk up to make a sauce.

Slice the green onions and set aside for garnish. If you’re not vegan, prep your protein too (egg, little shrimps and rotisserie chicken all go great here). Grab your sesame seeds.

When the bok choy is cooked to your liking, drain the noodles and add to the pan. Stir with tongs to break them apart gently and fully incorporate the veggies. Add the sauce and stir again. Cook everything together a few minutes.

Top with the green onions, a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds, optional protein, and a swirl of ketjap manis.

The sauce makes enough to support 2.5 big servings

Butternut Squash Pasta with Pistachio Crumble

April 14, 2018March 30, 2018Recipes2 Comments

For some unknown reason, a lot of vegan-related content comes up in my YouTube feed (actually, I think it’s because of the intersection between vegan and minimalist content creators – for some reason, I follow a lot of them). I recently stumbled upon this really cool creator from Saudi Arabia – Sukkari Life. She is a young woman that vlogs about culture, veganism, yoga and minimalism – and is crazy inspirational. I absolutely love how she blends local culture and tastes with standard vegan fare – and if she can go zero waste in Saudi, I can certainly quit whining about the lack of options right next door.

Check her out if you haven’t already – Sukkari Life blog and YouTube – this recipe (and my next!) were inspired by her.

gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan (with omissions)

Butternut Squash Pasta with Pistachio Crumble

Inspired by Butternut Squash Pasta & Garlic Crumble by Sukkari Life

1 small butternut squash
1/2 c. water (or more)
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. dry oregano
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. lime juice
1 – 2 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used a combo of ghee and olive oil)
Hand full rotisserie chicken per person (optional)
Shiritaki noodles (I eat 1 package alone – the rest of this recipe serves 2, so if you want dinner for 2 and eat like I do, grab 2 packages)

Pistachio Crumble

2 Tbsp. pistachios
2 Tbsp. pecan halves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
Salt & pepper
Nutritional yeast (optional)

First, slice your squash down the middle length-wise, rub with oil, salt & pepper and bake on 200C until soft (mine took about 30 minutes). Remove and let cool.

When the squash is cool, scoop about half a cup into a food processor and blend with the garlic clove, ginger powder, oregano, turmeric and lime juice. Add water until you get a sauce consistency you like. Taste. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Set aside.

In a large pan over high heat, dry toast your nuts. Set aside.

Knock the heat back to medium-high and add your fat of choice. Drain and rinse your noodles and add to the pan. Hit with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the noodles begin to smell nutty.

While the pasta is working, add the crumble ingredients to your (washed and dried) food processor and turn into a crumble. This may be even better with a little fat added, but I just made a dry crumble.

When your pasta is where you want it, add the chicken if you’re doing chicken, let go a minute or two, and add the pasta sauce. Toss well and let cook an additional minute or two to combine properly. Dust with nutritional yeast if you are using. Hit with one last pass of salt and pepper.

Plate and top with the crumble. Some nice fresh parsley may also be nice.

Serves 2 for dinner

Note: I ate the second half of this the next day for lunch with some leftover cabbage noodles cooked in ghee with rosemary/salt/pepper/garlic powder/onion powder, ground beef cooked with garlic powder/onion powder/salt/pepper and a few cloves roasted garlic and it was even better.

Brown Butter Zoodles with Walnut Crumb

November 25, 2017November 14, 2017RecipesLeave a Comment

This low-carb pasta is rich, velvety and delicious – so good, you won’t miss the meat.

gluten-free, vegetarian, primal, keto

Brown Butter Zoodles with Walnut Crumb

1 zucchini
1-1/2 Tbsp. salted butter
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. walnut halves
2 handfulls rocket (arugula)
6 – 8 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
1 ounce spreadable cheese (like Laughing Cow) or goat cheese (optional)

Whiz your walnuts until they’re dust. Zoodle your zucchini. Set both aside.

In a large pan, heat the butter over medium-high. Slice and add the garlic when it’s ready. Add the thyme sprigs and cook until browned.

When the butter is browned, pull the thyme and add the zoodles, lemon juice and walnut dust. Toss well to combine. Add a hit of salt and pepper.

When the zucchini is cooked through and the mixture is less wet, add the arugula. Toss to combine. Cook until the arugula is wilted.

Plate and top with crumbles of cheese if desired.

Serves 1 for dinner

Zoodles with Basil Lime Pesto

August 7, 2016RecipesLeave a Comment

This is a light refreshing meal for summer nights when it’s too hot to eat heavy or want to mess with makin the house too hot.

Gluten-free, Paleo

Zoodles with Basil Lime Pesto

1-2 medium zucchini
3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 shallot
1/2 c. basil
1 lime
2-3 glugs oil (I used avocado)
2 tsp. honey
Big pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt & black pepper

First, make your zoodles however you make them – I have a gadget that allows me to shred zucchini like I’m sharpening a pencil. Salt the zoodles, toss, and set in a colander to drain.

On to the chicken. Cut into bite-sized pieces, salt and pepper liberally, and place in a large skillet (along with a Tablespoon or two of fat) over medium-high heat. Sautee until browned and cooked through.

While the zoodles are resting and chicken is working, make the pesto. Add to the bowl of a food processor: juice & zest of the lime, a big hand full (about 1/2 cup) of basil, the garlic, red pepper flakes, a couple big pinches salt, a few cracks black pepper, the honey, and a couple good glugs of oil. Process until pesto, adding more oil if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

To serve, toss the zoodles with the chicken and pesto.

Serves 2 for dinner

Kale Pesto & Chicken Sweet Potato Noodle “Pasta”

March 1, 2014December 29, 2014Recipes1 Comment

I finally broke down and bought a spiral slicer. I got the GEFU Spirelli and after making this dish two ways – once with my speed peeler and once with the spiralizer, I’ve got to say I’m digging the spiralizer. It feels a lot less dangerous in my hands, and while there is some waste – it’s pretty much on-par with the speed peel method (at least for me – I’m kind of a sharp object hazard).

This dish is satisfying on many levels – the pesto is great, the noodles (when spiralized carefully) can just about be twirled, and the chicken lends a great fattiness to the dish that really brings it all together. A knockout weeknight meal.

These sweet potato noodles can also be used a thousand different ways – I see them becoming a staple in this household; maybe yours, too. Serve with bacon, garlic & sauteed spinach; with a bright popped tomato sauce; alongside mini-meatballs; carbonara-style; with briny olives and creamy goat cheese; with sliced steak and chimichurri … and that’s just off the top of my head.

Paleo, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Whole30

Kale Pesto & Chicken Sweet Potato Noodle “Pasta”

Adapted from Gourmande In the Kitchen’s Sweet Potato Noodles with Kale Pesto

1 longer than it is fat sweet potato per person
2-3 chicken thighs per person (I prefer boneless/skinless)
2 big hands chopped kale (I used half a 10 ounce bag of Trader Joe’s organic cut kale)
Handful parsley
Big hand full almonds
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
Big pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch kosher salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Red Boat fish sauce
Coconut or olive oil for cooking
Salt & pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil to serve
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan to serve (completely optional)

First, put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When the water is boiling, add your kale and blanch 2 minutes. Drain and let sit in the drainer while you prep everything else.

Next, get your chicken working. If you’re using boneless/skinless, chop into roughly bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Put into a large pan with 1-2 Tbsp. coconut or olive oil. Sautee over medium to medium-high heat until cooked through. Set aside when done.

While the chicken is cooking away, prep your sweet potatoes. Wash and peel and either shave with your vegetable peeler into ribbons or use a spiralizer for long curly strands. Set aside until the chicken is finished. When the chicken is done, add the sweet potato noodles to the leftover fat in the pan – adding a little more coconut or olive oil if needed (you want 2-3 Tbsp. here). Sautee 3-5 minutes, or until the noodles are softened and just beginning to brown.

On to the pesto. Toast your almonds in a dry pan and add to the bowl of a food processor when done, along with the garlic, parsley, drained kale, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, fish sauce and salt. Blitz to combine, adding the oil in a steady drizzle as you go. If the mixture is too dry, add a Tablespoon or so water.

To serve, add the chicken and some pesto (2-3 Tbsp. per person) to the sweet potato pan and toss (gently!) to combine. Serve sprinkled with a nice stout cheese if you eat cheese (Pecorino Romano and Parmesan make good serving buddies) and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 2 if you use 2 potatoes & 6 small chicken thighs – with enough pesto leftover for 3-4 more servings. Could easily serve 4-6 with enough sweet potato noodles & chicken.

Spring Orzo with Mint, Olive, Feta and Spinach

April 28, 2013October 18, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This is one of those recipes I read the ingredient list for and was off running before I even remembered to save the recipe, let alone print it. Something about the combination of olives, feta and spinach really intrigued me. I’m glad I made it. This dish is creamy from the feta, briny from the olives, and earthy from the spinach – pretty much everything you could want out of spring.

Spring Orzo with Mint, Olive, Feta and Spinach

1/2 c. orzo (use a gluten-free pasta to make this dish gf)
4 c. water
1/4 c. parsley
1/4 c. mint
1/4 c. cucumber
1/2 c. black and green olives
2 cloves garlic
6 ounces baby spinach
2 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 ounces feta
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp. garlic infused olive oil
2 big pinches red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Add the orzo and water to a medium pot over high heat. Add a palm full of salt and bring to a boil. Boil 6 minutes or until tender. Drain and add back to the warm pot. Add the spinach, pop a lid on, and let wilt (stirring first to get things going).

While the orzo is cooking, chop the parsley, mint, olives and garlic. Dice the cucumber. Set aside until the orzo is done and the spinach has wilted a little. Add to the pot and stir well to combine.

While that is all going, chop the chicken into bite-sized chunks and sautee with regular olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until browned. Season well.

Add the chicken to the pot, stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add the feta, lemon juice and a big pinch red pepper flakes. Stir. Taste for seasoning. Add the garlic infused oil and second big pinch red pepper flakes.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Gluten-free Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Chard and Brown Butter Sauce

December 24, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes3 Comments

Yay, gluten-free and paleo friendly gnocchi! I was so excited to find this recipe using almond flour on the interwebs, and it does not disappoint. This is a hearty, filling, and satisfying meal and comes together in just enough time for a (late) weeknight meal. And, as an added bonus, it’s chock full of vegetable goodness.

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Gluten-free Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Chard and Brown Butter Sauce

Based on Baked Rosemary, Almond Flour & Butternut Squash Gnocchi by The Urban Poser

Small butternut squash
3 c. finely ground almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 egg yolk
Big pinch salt
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. fresh basil
2-4 cloves garlic
1 bunch chard
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a cookie sheet and roast 45 minutes or until softened. When the squash has been working for 10 minutes or so, toss in 3 cloves garlic still in their paper.

Scoop out about 1/2 to 3/4 c. squash and add to a large bowl with the almond flour, egg yolk, salt, herbs and roasted garlic.

Work ingredients until they are well mixed together and form into a ball. Your dough will be a bit sticky, but it should hold together well. If it is too wet, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more squash. Coat your ball of dough with olive oil and chill about half an hour.

While your dough is chilling, make the chard. Wash chard and cut into ribbons. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard, and sautee until it is wilted down. Kick the heat up to medium high and add the butter. Sautee until the butter starts to brown. Salt & pepper to taste and remove from the heat.

When your dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350. Take pinches of dough and form into grape-sized balls. Place dough grapes onto a cookie sheet, and lightly press with a fork while holding the sides so you have a gnocchi shape. I got about 45 gnocchi out of the batch. Brush the tops of the gnocchi with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Bring your chard back up to temperature and toss with the gnocchi when it gets out of the oven.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Corn Salsa Pasta

May 5, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This easy weeknight dinner combines all that is good about corn salsa with a nice gluten-free pasta for a no-fuss meal that is high in taste and low in drama.

Corn Salsa Pasta

2 ears corn, de-cobbed
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 pickled jalapeño, diced
3 Tbsp. salsa
3 Tbsp. crema
1/2 package (2 servings) corn pasta
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Put a large pot of water on to boil. While your water is boiling, de-cob your corn kernels, chop your bell pepper, slice your onions, dice the jalapeño and gather the rest of your ingredients.

In a large pan over medium heat, bring the olive oil up to temperature. Add the onions and sautee until translucent. Add the corn and pepper and sautee, raising the temperature a bit if needed, until starting to brown around the edges. The goal is for the corn and peppers to get some nice browning (especially the corn), but to not burn the onions. This is a fine line to walk. When the pepper is soft and everything is browned to your liking, it is time to add the pasta. If the pasta is done, add it now. If not, knock the heat down to low to wait for the pasta.

When draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 a cup or so of the starchy water to help make a sauce.

Add the drained pasta to the pan, along with the jalapeño and salsa. Cook over medium heat, stirring to combine. When all is combined, add the crema and enough pasta water to create a sauce. Toss and serve.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Bacon & Ramp Pierogis

April 15, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

Ramps aka wild leeks are in season in New York right now and are actually a food that is quite often foraged. Ramps herald the beginning of spring, often appearing just as the snows recede. Ramps have a tender spicy/oniony/leek-y taste and oniony smell. Yum. We also ran across some delicious looking pre-made pierogis at a local gourmet market and couldn’t resist. This makes a very quick throw-together dinner for a weeknight. If you don’t have preserved lemon or citrus salt, regular lemon zest and kosher salt will do in a pinch.

Bacon and Ramp Pierogis

8 potato & cheddar pierogis (thawed if they are frozen)

1 bunch ramps, slice thin

3 oz. home made bacon, cut into 1/4 inch chunks

1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. preserved lemon, diced

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1 pinch citrus salt

In a large pan over medium heat, sautee bacon until browned and crispy. Place onto paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Pop your pan back over the heat, crank the heat up to medium-high and add 1 Tbsp. of the oil. Add pierogis (non frozen). Sautee until browned on both sides. Set aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and toss in the ramps. Sautee until ramps are tender and wilty.

Add the pierogis, butter, preserved lemon and bacon back to the pan. Toss.

Turn off the heat. Top with thyme and citrus salt.

Serves 2 for a light dinner.

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