Farmer's Market Spaghetti with Garlic Scape Pesto

Have you jumped on the farmer's market bandwagon?

Other than being a spectacular Instagram stop, these markets are the best way to get fresh, affordable, local and in-season fruits and veggies during the year. My favorite way to tackle the farmer's markets in Boston is to go take a slow stroll through each stand; rather than going with a list, I go in and simply choose whatever produce looks the best to me that day.

This recipe for Farmer's Market Spaghetti with Garlic Scape Pesto is the perfect base for any vegetables you fancy! It's fresh and light, yet fulfilling and packed with great flavor. 

My market had giant beautiful zucchinis this week, so I knew I had to come away with a few of those. I also was in love with the bunches of onions, fresh fennel, and big bundles of basil. With basil in hand, pesto was certainly in my near future. To put a fun, fresh spin on an old classic, I grabbed a few garlic scapes--that is, the bud of the flower on a garlic plant. This isn't a particularly common grocery store ingredient, but in late June and early July, farmer's markets are brimming with them! They have a softer garlic flavor and can be used in any way you might use a scallion or fresh herb...so, of course...PESTO!

Along with the pesto, I chop and dice the zucchinis, onions and fennel then saute them in a bit of butter and olive oil. Since the sauce is packed with flavor, I lightly season the veggies with some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a nice kick. A little lemon juice and a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese are the cherry on top of these twirly tasty noodles--don't be shy!

Green Grain Bowls

One of my favorite segments on late night TV is when Jimmy Fallon writes his Thank You notes. He has a way of saying everything I believe but never knew I was thinking.

In my never-ending quest to be "hip" and "cool," I came upon the idea of grain bowls. Grain Bowls can be whatever you want them to be. The best way to sum up this mysteriously tasty but good for you concoction, is through a Jimmy Fallon-style thank you:

Thank you, Grain Bowls, for being a salad without the lettuce. 

After all, that's what they are. Every element of a really good // tasty // filling salad is right here, in one bowl, and it is not weighed down by just a bunch of soggy leafy greens. Oh no, quite the opposite.

In my grain bowl research (very official blogging business, don't worry about it), I learned there are some essential elements to a perfectly composed grain bowl. I also learned that the grain bowl is yours and yours alone, so you should make it and change it in a way that will make your taste buds sing. 

First, you need a grain. Or a grain mix. I, personally, detest quinoa (see above: reasons I am actually not "hip" despite my quest), so my ideal grain bowl tends to begin with brown and wild rice, barley, or farro. A protein is also recommended, as this will keep you full for hours. Rotisserie chicken, albacore tuna, or chickpeas tend to have priority at my grain bowl party. Robust veggies fill out our bowl, and leave just a little room for a handful of fresh leafy greens (though, remember, no salads here). We are almost there. A sauce or dressing cannot be forgotten, as it will bring everything together in a flavorful marriage good for your body and your soul. Toppings, too, because we need texture, interest, and salt. I'm thinking nuts, cheese (<3), seeds, avocado and a snipped herb or two.

So there you have it. That's how it's done. And that's how I created these Green Grain Bowls last week. I LOVE this recipe and re-made it a few days later in bulk for a week of delicious work lunches. What isn't to love about a brown and wild rice blend + roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts + rotisserie chicken + fresh spinach + a pistachio parsley pesto + diced avocado and pistachios and feta cheese? *insert prayer hands emoji here*

Now we can finally get excited about what's hanging out in our lunchbox! 

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs with Pesto Pasta

I need to talk to you guys about these meatballs, on account of they are out of this world!

I don't have a very long history of meatballs here on Gas Stove Girl (but these Greek meatballs and mozzarella stuffed ones are glorious), but these Turkey Zucchini Meatballs will be a regular in our dinner rotation. They are light yet perfectly filling and chock full of good flavor.

Unlike most turkey meatballs you've had before, these meatballs are JUICY, not dried out and dull. The secret, as you may have guessed, is shredded zucchini. The zucchini is the perfect complement to lean ground turkey, whole wheat breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley. I cook these in my cast iron skillet, as this gives the meatballs the perfect golden brown crust. They are finished in the oven until juicy meatball perfection is achieved. Doesn't this golden brown sear make your mouth water?!

LOOK AT IT!

These are a perfect summer appetizer - I'd serve them with a cool greek yogurt dipping sauce - but last night, Cory and I enjoyed these with whole wheat pasta tossed with fresh made pesto. We both devoured our dinner, and I suspect I'll get a request to make this dish again sometime soon!

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad

Summer in a dish. Here it is, here it is. And it is tastier than you could have ever imagined.

Fresh is best, and this salad is all that and a bag of chips. Minus the chips.

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad is the perfect side dish for your next cookout! I'm thinking any Fourth of July spread would be made better with this recipe on the table. All of the greatest gifts of summer are jam packed into one wonderful and tasty salad.

Let's first talk about fresh corn. Crisp and slightly sweet. Perfectly golden. Ugh. Love it. I literally love corn. There, I said it. And when you can get fresh corn, on the cob, well--what are you waiting for? Make this salad!!

Along with juicy/sweet/crisp corn, cut right off the cob, we are going to throw chopped cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers into a nice, big serving bowl. After a little toss to mix things up, we are going to coat the whole she-bang in a delicious pesto sauce. Traditional pesto is all we need here. The freshness of the basil with the rich bite of pine nuts and the salty tang of parmesan cheese elevates the flavor and send it off the charts.

Enjoy this salad with a burger. Or hot dog. Or grilled sausage. Or a shrimp bake. Anything! I have eaten this salad 3 times in the past week and I think it will be a staple on your summer table as well :-) Enjoy!

Lemony Spinach Pesto Sauce

It's hot hot hot out there! When the temperature starts pushing 90 degrees, the idea of slaving over a hot stove for 30 minutes to make dinner is just SO unappealing. AMIRIGHT?!

Making a quick and delicious pesto sauce is the perfect way to still eat delicious homemade food without sweating it out in the kitchen. This Lemony Spinach Pesto Sauce is a summery twist on a classic. Fresh herbs and lemon zest make this pesto bright and refreshing, while spinach replaces most of the basil in a traditional pesto for a thick and earthy sauce. The zests of citrus fruits are packed with the essential oils of the fruit and they really amp up the flavor more than just the juice alone.

The word "pesto" is derived from an Italian word "pestare" which essentially means to pound or to crush. Pesto was traditionally made by combining all the ingredients in a mortar and using a wooden pestle to literally crush all the ingredients together. Luckily, today, we have a fancy high-tech gadget that will do all the work for us.

That is, a food processor. Thank you, culinary wizards, for this invention.

Now, making pesto is easier than ever! For this particular sauce, we combine spinach, basil, lemon zest, sliced almonds, thyme, oregano, garlic and crushed black pepper in a food processor until chopped.

Next, lemon juice and vegetable broth join the party. Using lemon juice and broth help give the pesto a more sauce-like consistency without using an entire cup of olive oil.

Speaking of olive oil, stream in a bit of olive oil with the food processor running until desired consistency is reached. Wizz in a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese and some salt to finish off the sauce. Perfect!

This pesto freezes really well, so feel free to make the sauce ahead of time and defrost it whenever you need a quick weeknight meal. For last night's dinner, we enjoyed this pesto on top of Gemelli pasta and baked chicken. The spinach can be a little tough if it does not have time to wilt a little bit on top of the dish, so be sure to add the pesto to your pasta or meat while it's still hot and allow it to steam a little bit to soften the spinach.

Top all pesto dishes with a little extra grated cheese. Remember -- you're worth it :-)

Goat Cheese and Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

You may need to take a second look at the title of this post until it sinks in. If you are wondering whether or not this was as delicious as it sounds, it WAS. I think I cleared my plate in .2 seconds.

The idea for my heavenly Sunday night meal came from a recipe in Cory's family. I made a few tweaks based on what I like and what I had available. The overall message, of course, was the same--this is a fun spin on a classic Italian recipe! Also, the cute little rolls let you really portion these out evenly and not have to worry about everything sliding apart as you would a traditional lasagna.

I would definitely recommend making this on a weekend night or a day off. It takes a little bit of assembly but the end product was a hit around here. If the pictures don't make your mouth water, give this recipe a try -- you won't be disappointed!

Recipe for Goat Cheese and Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups, in a thick Pesto Sauce

What you need:

For the Roll-ups
1 box cooked lasagna noodles (I used about 13). Cooked ALDENTE!
2 egg whites
4 cups of ricotta cheese (part skim, because we are "watching our figures")
4 to 6 ounces of fresh goat cheese
2 to 3 handfuls of fresh spinach
1/2 cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces or so of fresh shredded mozzarella cheese

For the Sauce
2 cups fresh basil, cleaned and stems pulled off
4 cloves of fresh garlic
1 cup toasted pine nuts (takes about 5 minutes in the oven (do not burn!)
3/4 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 cup or more of grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
1/4 cup fat free half and half (once again, "watching our figures")

Here's what you do:
Start by cooking your lasagna noodles (do not break) in a generously salted pot of boiling water. Strain and let them cool for a bit. You don't want them to sit out too long because they should still be flexible and not sticky when you roll.
Prepare the sauce while the noodles are cooking. The base of this sauce is from my good friend and fellow food connoisseur, Lauren Jensen. The first 5 ingredients are from her mom's outstanding pesto recipe. I simply added the half and half, and took out a little bit of the olive oil so it held up a little better in the oven.
Start by dropping the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor or blender and start chopping.
Slowly and gradually add the olive oil while the ingredients are mixing. Scrap down the blender to make sure you don't leave anything hanging!
Add the cheese, salt, and pepper and blend until it is just slightly lumpy. Blend in the half and half. This will make it a little creamy. YUM!

I have both a blender and a small food processor (thanks Santa!) so I prepped the filling in the food processor and my sauce in a blender. If you only have one of these amenities, make sure you use it for the pesto sauce and use a little bit of elbow grease for the filling.
OK. So. The amazing filling. Lightly beat the two egg whites with a fork. Add to food processor.
Add the ricotta, goat, and Monterey Jack cheeses. Mix until smooth (do not over mix because this will make it a little too watery. The thicker it is, the better it will hold up to the heat without oozing out of the lasagna noodles).
Add the spinach and pulse a few times until chopped and evenly mixed. Salt and Pepper to taste.

I am truly and utterly obsessed with goat cheese. It is tangy, and smooth, and delicious. It adds a nice bite to this filling. Also, it cuts the grittiness of ricotta and makes the filling so much smoother. If you think you don't like Goat Cheese, I BEG YOU please try it out for the first time with this recipe. You won't be disappointed.
So now -- we must build our roll-ups! Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Place one lasagna noodle on a clean plate. Brush about 2 to 3 tablespoons of your filling onto the noodle, leaving about 1 inch at the end to allow to overflow.

Gently roll the noodle and place, seam side down, in your baking dish.

Repeat until you have 2 rows of 6-8 roll ups.
Top with Pesto Sauce and Mozzarella cheese.

Is your mouth watering yet?
Pop in a 350 degree oven for 15-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the noodles are cooked through.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

I really love this recipe because as Cory and I were eating it, we were thinking of different ways we could make this. Adding a layer of meat to the filling, red sauce, different cheeses and veggies! There are so many things you can do to make this your own. It was a great dose of comfort food for a chilly Sunday evening.

So give this a try -- let me know what kind of creative liberties you take. I'm sure they will be nothing short of delicious!