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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Pistachio Pesto Recipe

Pistachio Pesto Recipe

If you haven’t peaked into your garden lately, you’ll likely find it blooming with basil! Which means one thing — it’s time for a million batches of fresh, homemade pesto. (Also see these 12 tips for making your most perfect pesto) The only thing I don’t dig about making basil is those pricey pine nuts. For this recipe, we’re going to skip them and add a slightly more cost saving nut — the pistachio. Plus, if you’re like me, I’m way more willing to just pop a few pistachios in my mouth as a snack. Pine nut leftovers? They might just go to waste. Pistachios pair perfectly with a traditional pesto recipe. They add their slightly sweet, rich nutty flavor. And as with any pesto recipe, this one is quick, easy, and mixes up perfectly in a food processor or even a blender if that’s all you have. Brush it…

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Classic 3 cheese lasagna with meat sauce recipe

Classic 3 cheese lasagna with meat sauce recipe

Lasagna from scratch is a meal to behold, but if you’re like most people, simmering sauce and making individual strips of pasta aren’t on your nightly schedule. Boxed pastas and store-bought marinaras save a ton of time without sacrificing any flavor. Some Sunday when you have a whole day to kill, build it from the ground up, but on a busy day — in a busy life — have no shame in shortcuts. National Lasagna Day is right around the corner (July 29). You might be headed to your favorite Italian restaurant for a great big piece, but why not do as the Italians do, and make this delicious dish at home! Here are a few tips for baking your best lasagne ever: 1. Careful with your noodles. Building a good lasagna requires a bit of architecture. Lasagna needs a good structure, and the noodles give it all it needs —…

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Creamy gnocchi bake

Creamy gnocchi bake

This easy Creamy Gnocchi Bake with mozzarella and spinach is perfect for a weeknight meal. It takes about 15 minutes to prep, then 30 minutes to bake in the oven. While you’re waiting, throw together a tossed salad or sauté a vegetable for a super low stress, well-balanced meal. Plus, can we just take a moment to admire all of that cheesy, creamy goodness? Those seasoned cherry tomatoes are just bursting with flavor, and fresh basil makes everything better. It’s a dish your whole crew will go crazy for. Creamy gnocchi bake Ingredients 4 tbsp butter 4 gloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried oregano 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved salt pepper 1/2 – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 4 cups spinach 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1 large handful basil, chopped + more for garnish 2 (about 17-18 ounces each) packages…

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Spicy cauliflower, arugula salad

Spicy cauliflower, arugula salad2

I love when a restaurant dish inspires me to make something similar at home. It’s not that making it at home stops me from going back to the restaurant — the exact opposite, actually! I find that it keeps the menu item top of mind, so I actually can’t wait to return! This dish was a restaurant-inspired salad. Roasted cauliflower and raisins might not seem like they’d be the best of friends, but the combo is really quite nice, especially when the cauliflower is roasted with the spicy heat of Calabrian chili peppers. Add some arugula, Parmesan cheese, and lemon, and you have a unique flavor explosion that is creative, healthy, fresh and crisp. Spicy Cauliflower, Arugula Salad Ingredients Serves 4 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets 2-3 spicy chili peppers, finely chopped + 3 tbsp of hot pepper oil (more if you love heat) 4-5 large handfuls of arugula 2 lemons,…

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Cheesy Zucchini Casserole makes perfect late summer side dish

cheesy zucchini casserole

At this point in the summer, you’re probably still picking lots of zucchini and squash from your garden. Or if you’re lucky, friends are trying to offload their extras. This zucchini casserole is a great way to use up all the zucchini and squash you have laying around. It might be the end of summer, but the warm weather means it’s still solidly squash season. This recipe is rich and creamy and made perfect by a melty blend of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. You’ll love this as a late summer side dish. Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Ingredients 4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 half of a medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 5 ounces Gruyere cheese, roughly shredded 3/4 cup fresh Parmesan, grated salt and pepper Directions Preheat oven to 450ºF. Grease an 8×8 inch casserole dish and set aside. In…

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Garlicky Greek yogurt Alfredo sauce

Garlicky Greek yogurt Alfredo sauce

There are a few foods that are banished from every dieter’s personal menu — Alfredo sauce being one of them. The thick, creamy restaurant staple is usually loaded with butter, cream and cheese. While incredibly delicious, it can pack up to 900 calories in just one cup! Even if you’re not dieting, this deliciously simple substitute hits the spot when you’re craving a creamy pasta. It’s perfect with whole wheat noodles as a healthy weeknight meal, or on top of a protein for a more special occasion. It’s so easy to make and so much healthier for you, you’ll say “so long” to that old heavy cream sauce, and you’ll never look back! Garlicky Greek yogurt Alfredo sauce Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth (veggie works, too) 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used non-fat) 1/4 milk (I used skim milk but you can…

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Parmesan crisps make for a perfect, crunchy appetizer

Parmesan crisps make for a perfect, crunchy appetizer

One ingredient recipe? I’m totally in. These paper-thin wafers make for incredible appetizers. A thin layer of fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is sprinkled into a hot non-stick pan until it bubbles and forms a lacy pattern, full of delicious cheese flavor. Your appetizer effort can end there. But you may also choose to top with a touch more flavor by adding basil, sesame seeds, cumin or black pepper. I chose to use thin jalapeño slices on some and a dried garlic and rosemary blend on others — our ingredient count is still only at three so I figured that was still in the “insanely easy” category of cooking. It’s best to experiment a little at first so you can get the heat in the pan just right. Once you have it right, you can turn out tons of them in no time. Make sure your cheese is real Parm-Reggiano or another hard, grating cheese.…

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Mediterranean tricolored rotini crab pasta salad

Tri-colored rotini and crab pasta salad

I make this recipe no less than 10 times a year. It’s always a hit at friend gatherings. It’s a must at Memorial Day. I never have leftovers when I bring it to work potlucks, and it’s perfect to have ready in the fridge anytime you think people might stop by. Plus, you can prepare it the night before, never worry about keeping it hot, and you can adapt the recipe to make as much as you like. When you have to feed a large number of people, try this pasta salad instead of your go-to lasagne. I made a huge bowl of this for my friends after they had their baby and they appreciated someone finally brought them something lighter and healthier! You can add anything to the mix from shredded mozzarella to sunflower seeds or blueberries. I like tossing in mandarin orange slices for a touch of sweetness and crushed croutons for some…

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Creamy avocado pesto sauce with veggie noodles

Creamy avocado pesto sauce with veggie pasta-1

Pasta never gets old. Just change the sauce and the veggies and you have an entirely different meal. This pasta and sauce combo puts a California twist on an old favorite — pesto. Avocado is so versatile. If you’ve only been using it as a breakfast food or burrito topping, you’ve been missing out. Its unbelievably creamy texture adds tons of flavor and it coats almost any type of noodle really well — Angel hair, farfalle, whole wheat rigatoni. Add in a few handfuls of basil and some nuts for texture, and you’ll have a seriously satisfying sauce and spread. I chose veggie noodles (sometimes called zoodles because of the zucchini) as my base to give this dish a truly West Coast kind of feel. You can make them with lots of different vegetables by using a spiralizer or by carefully and thinly slicing each vegetable with a knife. As a time saver, or if…

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Spinach, ricotta stuffed peppers, a satisfying vegetarian alternative

Vegetarian stuffed peppers made with spinach and ricotta.

Spinach, ricotta stuffed peppers are just the kind of recipe I like — cheesy, flavorful and easy to make. Best of all, they’re vegetarian, so it’s another satisfying meat-free dish to add to your recipe box (aka Pinterest page) if you’re cutting back. For the filling, cook up some garlic and onions, then add spinach and season. Mix ricotta and parmesan, then add to the spinach and mix more. Stuff this into 5-6 pepper halves and bake. I also like to toss tomatoes into the pan to get them right to the point that the skin slides off and the juicy middle pops in your mouth. Serve with rice or pasta if you’re making going for a dinner, but just a pepper, and some tomatoes — and maybe a small slice of bread — can make a fantastic light lunch. *Note, mushrooms are also a great addition. Chop up some of your favorite fungi and add to…

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