There are only a few weeks of my culinary program left, and I’m in major catch-up mode. I managed to keep somewhat on top of the reading and quizzes, but I’m woefully behind on the practical exercises. This week, I’ve been tackling some of the earlier tasks that I skipped (I figured they were basic and wouldn’t take long… and they wouldn’t have if I had actually done then when I was supposed to instead of trying to cram a whole bunch of them into one afternoon). That meant a lot of chopping, blanching, and roasting, without an actual recipe as the end-goal.

Of course, I wasn’t going to let all of those vegetables go to waste just because I didn’t have a plan for them! By adding some lemon juice and marcona almonds to my cauliflower while it roasted and then tossing it with lemon zest, pomegranate arils, and parsley, I was able to transform my “practice” into an easy and delicious recipe. It’s delicious as a side (try it will grilled flank steak or a piece of fish) but it also makes a great main dish if you serve it over steamed couscous.

I really love the bright, juicy burst of flavor the the pomeranate arils add to this cauliflower. I’ve been working with BloomFresh to create some recipes with their new ready-to-eat pomegranate arils, so I’ve had a ton of them in my fridge. I’ve been adding them to practically everything, but this cauliflower is one of my favorites. The arils are hand-packed in convenient containers without any preservatives, additives, or residues, eliminating the need to mess with whole pomegranates (plus they include a spoon for easy snacking!) They take a ton of frustration out of eating pomegranate.

I used marcona almonds for this because I love their soft texture and slightly sweet flavor – in a recipe as simple as this one, they really make a big difference. If you can’t find them, feel free to substitute regular almond halves.

(I also have to share the best secret to perfect roast vegetables that I learned: don’t use too much oil. I’ll admit that I can be a lazy cook and frequently just throw my vegetables onto a baking sheet and drizzle oil over the top. That still tastes good, but the vegetables mostly end up steaming and don’t get those beautifully browned bits that goof roast vegetables should have. Instead, take the extra minute to mix everything up in a bowl, then use your hands to lift the vegetables out and onto the pan, leaving the extra oil in the bottom of the bowl. The vegetables will get a better coating of oil that way, but it will be lighter. That means the vegetables will lightly “fry” in the oil without all of that extra moisture steaming them, so they’ll brown a lot easier. Plus, you’ll be eating way less fat which is also a plus!)

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Roast Cauliflower with Lemon, Almonds + Pomegranate

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower cut into florets (about 6 cups)
• scant 1/4 cup almonds preferably marcona roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced and zested
• ⅓ cup BloomFresh pomegranate arils
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Heat oven to 450ºF.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with almonds, oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake 20-30 minutes, or until tender and golden.
• Remove from the oven and toss with lemon zest, pomegranate arils, and parsley.

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If you’re looking for more pomegranate goodness, be sure to check out Mother Thyme’s Pomegranate Blondies and Skinny Chef’s Quinoa Chicken Tenders with Pomegranate Pumpkin Seed Dipping Sauce.

I created this recipe for my client, BloomFresh, who is also generously providing the giveaway prizes. As always, thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen. 

I’m officially ready for spring, and it seems like a lot of you are too. Let’s help usher it in with some delicious pasta loaded with spring vegetables!

A month or so ago, Dreamfields asked me to create a recipe for their virtual dinner party in celebration of Healthy Pasta Month. Since they’re my favorite pasta company, I of course had to say yes! I was torn over what direction I wanted to take it though, so I asked my followers on facebook if I should do something with a rich, tomato-based sauce, or something lighter with white wine. The latter option got overwhelming support… but then someone suggested avocado and the rest was history.

I’d never had avocado with pasta before, but inspiration struck and I blended it into a rich, creamy sauce based on green goddess dressing. The avocado makes the sauce luxuriously creamy, while the fresh herbs and citrus juices make it perfect for spring. To keep the “green” theme going, I tossed the pasta with asparagus, peas, and arugula. The result is fresh, vegetal, and downright delicious. This green goddess pasta will definitely be my go-to pasta this spring!

My first formal introduction to Dreamfields pasta was two years ago at Mixed. They were one of the main sponsors of the conference, and I spent a good amount of time chatting with them about their healthy, high fiber pasta. I loved how excited they were about their product and their enthusiasm rubbed off on me – I made a point to seek it out the very next time I went to the grocery store.

After quickly scanning the shelf, I immediately started laughing. Why? I had bought their pasta countless times without even realizing it! I’m sure that I picked it up the first time because of the higher fiber content, but I had gotten into the habit of grabbing the brand and completely forgot that it was a healthier option. I just kept buying it because it was good! It’s still the pasta I buy about 8 times out of 10 (the exceptions being when I want a specific shape that they don’t make or if I’m looking for fresh pasta), and I love that  I can feel good about it.

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Green Goddess Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 270kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ package Dreamfields® high fiber spaghetti
• 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ avocado
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• ½ lemon juiced
• ½ lime juiced
• 1 sprig each fresh parsley cilantro, and tarragon, chopped
• 6 fresh basil leaves chopped
• ¼ cup reduced fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 shallot minced
• 1 cup frozen peas thawed
• 2 cups arugula

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook an additional 4 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Drain.
• While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce: Add the avocado, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lime, juice, and fresh herbs to a food processor or blender. Process on high for 20-30 seconds, or until smooth. Scrape into a small bowl and stir in the sour cream. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the peas and arugula cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the arugula is wilted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked spaghetti, asparagus, and sauce. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Fiber: 9g

This post was sponsored by Dreamfields, a brand I use frequently in my own kitchen. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired! 

Is spinach and artichoke dip still a thing? I feel like it was all the rage when I was in college (*cough* ten years ago *cough*) but it’s since taken a back seat to other, less indulgent dips… like hummus. Please tell me that I’ve just been living under a healthy-eating rock for the last few years and spinach and artichoke dip is still around? If not, let’s make a vow to bring it back. In the form of grilled cheese.

As you may know, April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Land O’Lakes and Kitchen PLAY joined together to celebrate with an event they’re calling “30 Days of Grilled Cheese.” And the asked me to play along! Yay!

It took me forever to figure out what I wanted to make for the event. Obviously, I wanted something unique. I also wanted something super gooey and cheesy. And  –making things even more difficult – I wanted to healthy it up by incorporating a good amount of fruit or vegetables.  Tall order, right? I was stumped for days when all of a sudden I was sitting at my desk at work and it dawned on me: Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese. On garlic toast.

I was so excited about the idea that I texted it to Shawn right away.

Man, oh man, this grilled cheese is GOOD. It’s super cheesy and rich, with buttery-delicious artichoke hearts scattered throughout it. And the addition of garlic to the bread? Kind of genius, if I do say so myself.

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Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup quartered artichoke hearts
• ⅓ pound Land O'Lakes 4 Cheese Italian Blend
• 4 slices Italian sandwich bread
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• garlic powder

Instructions

• Add spinach and water to a skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is completely wilted. Drain excess water. Add the artichoke hearts, using a fork to break them up a little bit. Stir in a slice or two of cheese – just enough to melt into the vegetables and help bind them together.
• Butter 4 slices of bread and sprinkle them with garlic powder. Flip two slices of bread over (so the non-buttered side is up) and top each with a few slices of cheese and half of the spinach and artichoke mixture. Cover with remaining cheese and top with a second piece of bread (buttered side up).
• Cook sandwiches over low heat for 3 minutes on each side, or until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen PLAY Sidecar series. All opinions given are my own.

I knew that I wanted to use this technique in the collection of 5 New Eggplant Ideas that I created for Tablespoon.com, but I also wanted to put a new twist on it. I swapped out the tahini and cumin for roasted red peppers and smoked paprika. The resulting dip had a velvety texture and a sweet, smokey flavor. It didn’t resemble baba ganoush at all, but it was just as delicious.

Serve this eggplant and red pepper dip with flatbread crackers or vegetables, or use it as a sandwich spread or over pasta. Leftovers (if you have any!) will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.