Pasta with Swiss Chard & Pine Nuts

This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy beautiful, nutrient-rich swiss chard. Pine nuts are certainly not cheap, but are– at least to me– a worthwhile indulgence. However, chopped toasted walnuts would also be tasty.
*Because the stalks of the chard are tougher than the leaves, they need a longer cooking time. First cut off and discard the very ends of the stalks. Then cut the stalks from the leaves, and chop into 1” pieces. In a separate pile, chop the leaves.
*To toast the pine nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, watching closely, just until lightly browned and fragrant.

1 12-oz package pasta
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
olive oil
1 bunch swiss chard, leaves and stalks chopped separately
1 cup vegetable broth, divided
pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
salt and black pepper, to taste

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a large pan and cook garlic over medium low heat for a few minutes, watching closely and agitating frequently, until fragrant.
Stir in chard stalk pieces and sauté for about 30 seconds, then add ¼ cup of broth, cover pan with lid, and cook over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chard leaves, red pepper flakes (if using), and the rest of the broth. Cook, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes more, stirring every now and then, until cooked through.
Mix drained pasta with chard, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil, and sprinkle on the pine nuts.

Yield: About 4 servings

Kale Salad with Grapes

Kale salad is usually not my thing. If you read my blog regularly then you know that I’m more of a braised greens kind of girl. And, yeah, I roll my eyes too when I see “massage” next to anything intended for consumption. Still, getting your hands in there and really working those leaves gives you tender kale that’s ready to absorb all sorts of tastiness (instead of just being a workout for your jaw). Early autumn red grapes add flavor and juiciness; adjust the amount of agave depending on how sweet or tart they are.

1 bunch kale, stems removed, cut chiffonade style
olive oil
¾ cup red grapes, halved and seeded if necessary
1½ tbsp pickled red onion
½ tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ to ½ tsp agave, or to taste
2 tbsp hemp seeds
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper

In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some salt on the kale. Using your hands, massage kale for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in grapes, pickled onion, white wine vinegar, agave, and hemp seeds. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let sit for awhile for best flavor.

Yield: About 4 servings

Roasted Fairytale Eggplant with Red Onion & Mint

Can you tell I’m holding onto summer for dear life? Get these beauties while you still can, and enjoy in this simple yet delicious dish. It’s good both warm and cooled down. Add chickpeas and quinoa to make it a full meal.

bunch of fairytale eggplants, halved
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice
a few mint leaves, cut in a chiffonade

Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let sit for a few minutes (not necessary if eggplant is super fresh). In a baking dish, toss eggplant with onion, a bit of olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until eggplant is very tender. Remove from oven and season with fresh lemon juice. Just before serving, garnish with fresh mint.

Summer Avocado Toast

Like most vegetarians (and, well, people) my love for avocados is strong, and you can find me eating some variation of avocado toast pretty much every weekend. Here’s my late summer version of the wildly popular dish– because now is the time to stuff your face with tomatoes, cucumber, and basil in all their pre-fall glory.

2 slices of bread of choice, toasted
1/2 ripe hass avocado
1-2 Tb hemp seeds
salt and pepper
a few basil leaves, torn
optional: drizzle of balsamic vinegar OR fresh lemon juice OR hot sauce OR sliced olives

Mash avocado on toast, sprinkle with salt, then add everything else. Season with a bit more salt and some pepper, or as desired.

Summer Pizza

This is essentially summer in pizza form, featuring the season’s superstars corn, tomatoes, squash, and pesto. Philip says, “It’s the best pizza ever!” (But he’s a little biased.) I say summertime rocks.
*I used this gluten-free pizza crust recipe, sans xanthan gum, to make two 12″x8″ rectangular pizzas.
*I recommend slicing the squash even thinner than the zucchini half-moons shown in the photo; squash ribbons would be lovely.

par-baked pizza crusts
½ cup pesto (use your favorite)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
¾ cup roasted corn kernels (from 1 to 1½ ears of corn)
2-3 small summer squashes, sliced very thinly (I used 2 zucchini and 1 yellow)
a few pickled jalapeño slices, optional
olive oil
salt and black pepper
generous handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped at the last minute

Preheat oven to 425°F. On each parbaked pizza crust, spread a layer of pesto, then add tomato slices, scatter the corn kernels, and top with squash . Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place jalapeño slices on top, if using. Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, til squash is just cooked, then remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.