Pasta Primavera

I looooove Pasta Primavera. And although the name technically implies that you eat it in the spring, it's the perfect summer meal for me. I first had it in a little Michigan town while on vacation with my parents when I was 15. It was the middle of summer and the pasta just screamed out with all the flavors of the season. I think I spent the rest of my teenage years trying to recreate it. I got close a few times, but they always came out too greasy and not very flavorful.

Fast forward to my bridal showers 8 years later. I got this cookbook as a gift from one of my Mom's oldest friends and I immediately knew I'd found the perfect recipe for Pasta Primavera! It's great served immediately, but I think it gets better the next day. I like to eat it straight out of the refrigerator for lunch. Yum.

Pasta Primavera
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis 
1 large zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red pepper
3 carrots
2 small onion, slice onion into thin strips
4 cloves garlic, smashed and copped in half
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 medium tomatoes
1 lb penne
3/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cut vegetables into 2 inch strips. Cover in olive oil, basil, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to evenly cover the vegetables. Spread evenly onto two baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Pour pasta into large serving bowl and add vegetables. Add cheese and stir to combine, using remaining pasta water to thin the pasta if necessary. Top with more Parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy!

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilling vegetables is hands down one of my favorite summer activities. Especially fresh picked veggies from the farmer's market. I know, what a truly exciting life I do lead. But, they're so GOOD.

Look at how pretty they are! And so warm and happy! This salad makes me smile. And it tastes like summer. Especially since corn, squash, peppers and tomatoes are overflowing at the farmer's market right now. It's the perfect time to make this salad! You can eat it warm, cold, as a delicious side dish or scooped into pita or tortilla chips for a tasty meal. Make it for your next party with friends!

Grilled Corn Salad
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
4 ears corn
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow squash, halved
1 red onion, cut into eights
1 tomato
1/4 cup olive oil
1/6 cup balsamic vinegar
10 basil leaves,cut into chiffonade
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Heat a grill over medium-low heat. While the grill is heating, drizzle olive oil over corn, red pepper, squash, and onion. Once the grill is heated, grill corn for 5-8 minutes to brown. Grill pepper, squash and onion until tender. Allow the veggies to cool, then chop the onion, squash, and pepper. Scrape the corn kernels from the cob. Dice the tomato and add to the vegetables. Mix the vegetables together and add the basil.

To make the dressing, combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and garlic. Whisk until well combined and pour over the veggies. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

Hearty Veggie Chili

Holy allergy season batman. Please raise your hands if you've been suffering the worst allergy symptoms of your entire life. (Raising both hands and waving them spastically in the air.) To say the least, I felt awful on Tuesday. So much that I think I'm actually starting to pray for Winter. Anything to kill off all the pollen producing plants populating my province. (Oh no, I think the pollen just made it's way into my brain!)

When I start thinking of winter, the first thing I think of are soups. Warm, hearty delightful soups. They just scream fuzzy comfort food to me. So, in my allergy induced misery on Tuesday I had to make soup. Anything to make life feel more winter-like. Forgetting, of course, that's it's almost 90 degrees outside.

This is actually the perfect late summer chili. It uses a ton of vegetables that are in season right now. And for an entirely vegan soup, it's really hearty and filling. When we first tried this a few months ago, at the beginning of our semi-vegetarian experiment, John was really skeptical. He didn't think soup, especially chili, could be good without a good amount of fat. But oh is it ever good.

Make this for dinner. It will drive away the allergy blues. Super delicious!

Vegetarian Chili
Adapted From Emeril Lagasse 

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 seranno peppers, chopped and with the seeds and membranes scooped out
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 lbs baby portobello mushrooms, cubed
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
4 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 cups cooked black beans or 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and mix in cilantro. Serve with warm cornbread on the side.

Enjoy!