Spinach Walnut Pasta Salad

Serves 4

In our hangover daze from ‘90’s nutritional messages, we sometimes forget that whole-wheat is actually a fantastic protein source. Most people feel full and satisfied after eating pasta, plus it’s inexpensive, easy to cook and very affordable. Feel free to sub an alternative grain pasta (like quinoa or corn), and remember in order to keep pasta healthy, we bulk up on the vegetables! 

This pasta salad is half green salad/half pasta salad is totally customizable and makes a great takealong to the office. Make the whole recipe, but just stack the spinach on top of the dressed pasta in your tupperware. Then stir it in right before eating.

1/2 lb whole-wheat fusili pasta
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 5-ounce bag of baby spinach

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, zucchini, kalamatas and walnuts.  In a mason jar, mix up dressing by combining vinegar, garlic, Dijon, olive oil and salt and pepper and shaking.

3. Toss pasta with enough dressing (you’ll have some left over).  Roughly chop the baby spinach and toss that in too and stir.  If you are taking this along for lunch, just rest the spinach on top and toss right before you eat it.  Taste and season with salt, pepper and extra vinegar.

Mushroom Lentil Tacos with Pistachio Crema

Serves 3-4

Lentils are most frequently found in soups, but here I combine them with earthy mushrooms to get a savory taco filling with bite.  If you are just beginning to work with legumes, these French green lentils are a good place to start.  They are available in a can or you can cook them from the bulk section. The tacos are really all about this great pistachio crema though—slightly tangy from the lemon and creamy and pale green from the pistachios, it’s a great  way to get flavor into every bite of this very vegetal meal.

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 8-10 ounce package shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and chopped
1 8-10 ounce package cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 15-ounce can brown or green lentils
1 teaspoon tamari
1 cup pistachios, soaked in water (for 10 minutes-3 hours)
2 scallions, green parts chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas
1 5-ounce bag arugula
Store-bought kimchi

1. In a large skillet, heat oil.  Add chopped mushrooms and pinch of salt and let cook down until the moisture has evaporated and they turn golden.  Add the minced garlic, cumin and red pepper flake and stir.

2. Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, combined drained pistachios, lemon juice, salt, chopped green scallions and enough fresh water to combine.  Blend until it’s smooth and thick like crema. Taste and season for salt and lemon juice.

3. Then add the lentils to the skillet with the mushrooms, stir and add tamari and cook until lentils are warmed up.

4. Assemble tacos: lay down three tortillas per person and add mushroom-lentil mix, a dollop of pistachio crema, a fistful of arugula and top with kimchi.  Devour.

Black Rice and Lentil Mujadara

black rice and lentil mujadara

Serves 2

Mujadara is a Middle Eastern staple of long white rice and brown lentils tossed in a skillet with mountains of caramelized onions. I usually have a couple of onions in my kitchen so when I have leftover grains and lentils or beans, this is my go-to dish.  Here I used leftover black rice and French green lentils but sub whatever you have on hand. The secret to this simple dish is to let the onions caramelize as long as possible and to season generously with salt. 

2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
3 onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 1/2 cup cooked French green lentils
1 cup cooked black rice
salt to taste
1 scallion, chopped

1. In a very large skillet, heat ghee or oil and saute onions until very caramelized and browned, 45-60 minutes. This recipe is so simple, it's worth the wait to let the onions really brown and develop their flavor.  If the skillet starts to dry out, just add a tablespoon of water. You may have to do this a couple of times.

2. When onions are irresistible, toss in cooked lentils and rice and stir until just warmed through.  Season generously with salt. Garnish with the scallion.