Summer Zucchini Pasta

Another non-recipe recipe. Few instructions and open to your interpretation. As someone who likes rules and instructions, I would personally be annoyed by this. Hope that’s not the case for you thoooooough!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 large zucchini, sliced in half length wise, then cut into 1/3” slices

• 1 large leek, cleaned (they’re sandy lil guys!), pale green and white part only, sliced lengthwise, then cut into 1/3” slices

• A couple large handfuls of spinach

• 1 lemon

• 1 lb pasta, I used rigatoni – the large holes and ridges catch all the goodness

• Kosher salt

• Parsely

• Grated sharp white cheddar cheese, (as much as you want!)

What to Do

1. Add olive oil to a large pan (higher sides help), set over medium high heat.

2. Once glistening, add leeks and a pinch of salt. Turn heat down to medium. Mix and cook until the leeks soften. 5-10 minutes. I said this was a non-recipe recipe.

3. Add zucchini, another pinch of salt, and mix and cook until the leeks and zucchini are suuuper soft. They’ll lose their beautiful green for a less inspiring beigey tone, but very delicious! This may be anywhere from 15-20 minutes (-ISH).

4. Meanwhile, cook your pasta in heavily salted water. Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain pasta once it’s very al dente.

5. Add lemon zest and spinach to zucchini/leek pan and cook until spinach is wilted.

6. Add drained pasta to zucchini/leek/spinach pan. Stir and add in reserved pasta water. Mix, mix, mix.

7. Turn the heat off and add lemon juice and parsley. You can add cheese now or garnish at the end or both. Keep on mixin until it looks well combined. Taste for salt.

8. Top servings with cheese and enjoy!

Best Bucatini with Simplest Tomato Sauce

Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit
Serves: 4 people who aren’t afraid of carbs

Ingredients

• 16 oz. bucatini

• Kosher salt

• 1 28-oz. can whole peeled or diced or crushed tomatoes

• 3 garlic cloves, smashed

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Parmesan, for serving
  *lots of pasta recipes call for 12 oz. of noodles, this one doesn’t because I don’t like super saucy pasta. If you do, use only 12 oz.

What to Do

1. Fill a large stock pot with water and add salt until the water tastes salty! Like a handful of salt or more. Set to boil on high.

2. Meanwhile, add tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and five-finger pinch of salt to a heavy bottom pot. If using whole tomatoes, crush and break apart into bite sized pieces (they’ll cook down, so don’t worry about getting uniform sizes).

3. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium, and cook for 20ish minutes, stirring every couple minutes until sauce is reduced by about a third. When sauce is done, set to low.

4. Once pasta is just about al dente (somewhere around 2-3 minutes short of package cooking suggestions), reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.

5. Add pasta to sauce pot, set to medium low, and toss, toss, toss with tongs, coating all pasta in the sauce. Add water in increments to bring it all together.

6. Add butter and keep tossing until everything is looking luxurious and fully incorporated. Taste for any needed salt. Don’t forget you’re serving with Parm.

7. Serve with freshly shaved Parmesan. Enjoy!

Udon Stir Fry

Serves: 8 (We're a big family these days. Halve the recipe for more standard portions! Or don't and have real great leftovers.)

Sauce Ingredients*

• 5 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 6 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce

• 3 tbsp mirin

• 2 tbsp teaspoons brown sugar

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

  *this recipe makes a little bit extra sauce, use it all for super saucy noodles or reserve some so people can add more if they’d like at the table

Stir Fry Ingredients

• 3 packets udon noodles

• ½ lb white or brown mushrooms (one of those small cartons), thickly sliced

• 1/3 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 6 bok choy, chopped into thirds, crosswise

• 1 small white onion, sliced

• 6 scallions, chopped into pretty diagonal slices, for serving

• 1 lb. baked tofu, sliced into 1/4" slices (alternatively, you can buy uncooked extra firm tofu, slice it, and bake it at 400 degrees for 20 minutes)

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

What to Do

1. Prepare udon noodles according to package directions. In my experience, the less time in the water, the better. So I usually dunk in boiling water for no more than a minute, rinse under the tap, and add a bit of vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking.

2. Let a large nonstick skillet get hot over medium high heat (the bigger the better! If you have a wok, you are golden). Once hot, add mushrooms, bokchoy, and cabbage and cook until slightly softened. (No oil just yet! This allows the vegetables to char up a bit without releasing a bunch of water. Cooked veggies without the mush!) Place vegetables into a heat proof bowl and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add vegetable oil. Once hot, add onion and tofu. Cook until onions juuuust begin to soften. About 8-10 minutes.

4. Add noodles and vegetables back to the skillet. Mix to combine.

5. Once well-combined, add sauce in large spoonfuls at a time, until desired sauciness. Taste as you go!

6. Toss, toss, toss.

7. Turn off heat and mix in scallions, reserving a five finger pinch for garnish. Plate up, garnish with reserve scallion. Eat!
   
   

Farro Salad with Honeynut Squash and Miso Maple Vinaigrette

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Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

FARRO SALAD

• 4 cups cooked farro⁣

• 2 honeynut squash, chopped and roasted with olive oil at 400 degrees until tender⁣

• 1 cup chopped parsley (not packed)⁣

• 1/8 cup minced shallot (let mine sit in a bowl with cold water for a few minutes to take the sting off)⁣

• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds⁣

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted walnuts⁣, chopped

VINAIGRETTE
(Admittedly my original dressing turned out salty, so guessing the correct adjustments here. Don't sue me)⁣

• Juice of 1 lemon⁣

• 2 teaspoons mild miso⁣

• 1/4 cup olive oil ⁣

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup⁣

WHAT TO DO

1. Begin with dressing: whisk miso with just a splash of warm water until well dissolved. Add lemon juice and stir. Slowly stream olive oil in while whisking until dressing comes together. Mix in maple syrup. Taste and adjust. ⁣⁣

2. Mix ingredients in a large bowl with fresh cracked pepper. Mix in dressing. Taste and adjust!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Walnuts and Herbs

I N G R E D I E N T S

• 1 medium head cauliflower

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon red chili flake

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)

• kosher salt

• 1 cup vegan sour cream

• 1/2 cup finely chopped tender herb (parsley, cilantro, dill, or a combo), packed

• 2 lemons

• 1/4 cup roasted walnuts, chopped

• Flaky sea salt for serving

W H A T T O D O

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Trim leaves and excess core if protruding from cauliflower. Add to a large stock pot.

3. To the stockpot, add olive oil, bay leaves, chili flake, butter, 2 five-finger pinches of salt, wine, and enough water to barely cover the cauliflower.

4. Set pot on high. Once boiling, reduce down to low, turning cauliflower about every 8-10 minutes until just tender, roughly 20 minutes.

5. Using large tongs, a pair of slotted spoons, or a combo of whatever kitchen utensils can do the job, remove cauliflower from water and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

6. Bake cauliflower until deeply golden all over, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cool slightly.

7. Meanwhile, mix sour cream with herbs and juice of 1 lemon. Season with salt.

8. When you’re ready to serve, place a large spoonful of sour cream mixture in the center of a platter. Use the back of your spoon to swoosh it around the plate. Place cauliflower on top of sour cream swoosh. Top with walnuts, squeeze of lemon juice, and flaky salt.