Tags
Body Ecology Diet, carrots, gluten free, pasta, peas, pesto, quinoa, radishes, vegan
Monday night. After Thanksgiving weekend. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t experiencing a bit of a let down.
This past weekend was just incredible. So much fun with family and friends. As I sit here back in Gotham, I’m reflecting on all the good times from the weekend. I am very thankful:)
As the leftovers are winding down, I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes. Not only is it SUPER flavorful and delicious, but it is also beautiful!
A baked pasta pie. My mom swears that she “doesn’t like” baked pasta – can I just tell you that she had several bites of my dinner and LOVED IT!
I made a baked Pesto Pasta Pie – SO good! Topped with chewy roasted radishes and carrots. It tasted so fresh and delicious! My dad declared that it was “the best meal I’ve made yet” – haha, he seems to say that a lot:)
And, it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Body Ecology Diet friendly!
Here’s what you need: (Serves 1 with enough to share — with 12 people :) )
1 serving quinoa pasta
1 ½ cups packed basil
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves
juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp EVOO
salt
reserved pasta water
3 radishes, whole
2 large carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces
¾ cup sugar snap peas, cut in half
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your carrots and radishes on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, until the radishes have softened and the carrots are becoming golden on the edges.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta until al dante, and make your pesto by combining your ingredients in the food processor. You’ll need to add about ¼ – ½ cup of reserved pasta water, and scrape down the sides several times. It’ll be thick.
Reserve about ½ cup of the pesto, and toss the rest with your pasta, along with about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Then, spray a small (8 inch) oven-safe frying pan with olive-oil-spray. Put your pesto-coated spaghetti into the pan and bake in the 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Then, broil it for about 3 minutes. Carefully take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, put a plate on top, and “flip it out” onto the plate.
Cut your roasted radishes in half, and then place them, along with the carrots and raw sugar snap peas onto the top of your pasta pie in a decorative way:) Top with the remaining pesto, and enjoy!
This meal was outrageous! It was truly phenomenal! The flavors, textures, and colors were just wonderful. First, the flavor – my gosh, pesto is hands down my favorite flavor! I love how bright and fresh it is, with the savory garlic overtone! And if you’ve never had a roasted radish, you must try it! Raw radishes have a spicy bite to them, but when they’re roasted, their natural sugars release and they caramelize! They become soft and super sweet – almost like candy! I’m not even joking! Their sweetness, paired with the sweet carrots was just delightful!
And the textures – oh my goodness, what a treat! What happens to the spaghetti when it’s baked is that the top gets really crunchy, while the bottom becomes soft and just absorbs the pesto beautifully! Eating it was just fabulous – in one strand of spaghetti, there’d be a crunchy part, and a plump, soft and chewy part. It was outstanding!
Finally, the colors were beautiful! In my bunch of radishes from the farmer’s market, there were white, red, pink, and purple radishes – stunning! Paired with the orange carrots, dark green snap peas and lemony green pesto; it was a feast for the eyes!
What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving?!
Until Next Time!