Vegetarian

Garlic and Thyme Roasted Mushrooms

October 16, 2018 by laurenpacek 2 Comments

These Garlic and Thyme Roasted Mushrooms make a great side dish or addition to a hearty Fall/Winter salad. Better yet, they’re delicious and easy to prepare!

If you’re leaning toward eating these roasted mushrooms as a side, think steaks. It’s a classic pairing. I’ve also been eating these mushrooms as part of my lunch in grain bowls with quinoa and other roasted vegetables. Top that with some hummus (hummus makes a great salad dressing!) and you’re in business.

Mushrooms are like little flavor sponges. They really soak up and take on the flavors of whatever herbs and spices you add. These roasted mushrooms, with their fragrant thyme and savory garlic flavor, smell and taste like Fall.

I’ve only ever tried to roast cremini mushrooms, but if you try it with other varieties, please report back!

In search of other simple, but delicious, side dishes? Check out my Roasted Beets and Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

5 from 1 vote

Garlic and Thyme Roasted Mushrooms

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

24 oz cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried thyme. Toss to coat.
Roast for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the minced garlic, salt, and pepper over the partially roasted mushrooms. Toss to combine.
Roast for 10 additional minutes.

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

May 17, 2018 by laurenpacek 5 Comments

These Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes provide so much reward in return for very little effort. They make a wonderful side dish–we love to eat them alongside grilled flank steak. Although I’ve also been known to whip some up for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Please trust me when I tell you that they’re excellent when topped with a runny egg!

These potatoes really require very little effort or skill in the kitchen. They’re so easy! Just chop some small potatoes, toss them with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper, and roast them in a very hot oven.

Then all you’ll have to do is toss them around a few times during their cooking time to make sure that they get lovely and brown all over. Before you know it, you’ll have a delicious, versatile side dish that the entire family will love.

5 from 1 vote

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 people

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
small red or fingerling potatoes, quartered
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray it lightly with cooking spray, and set it aside.
Mince the garlic and rosemary and place them in a gallon zip top bag.
Chop the potatoes and add them to the bag, as well.
Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bag. Zip it closed and toss everything around until the potatoes are well-coated with oil, rosemary, and garlic.
Put the potatoes on the baking sheet in an even layer.
Roast for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and slightly browned. Use a spatula to toss potatoes around on the baking sheet every 15 minutes or so, to ensure even browning.

Recipe Notes

Notes: These potatoes are also lovely when using a mixture of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme. Dried herbs can also be substituted, but you will want to use a smaller amount of dried herbs than fresh.

Hummingbird Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

April 16, 2018 by laurenpacek 6 Comments

This Hummingbird Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is a delicious mashup of a Hummingbird Cake (a Southern classic) and banana bread.

After making Carrot Cake Cupcakes recently, and realizing that I had an overabundance of overly ripe bananas (as usual), I got to thinking about other dessert recipes that used lots of fruit and or vegetables.

After some searching, I landed on Hummingbird Banana bread. This recipe is full of crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and bananas. The pineapple and bananas keep it really moist, while the coconut and pecans keep things interesting in terms of texture. It’s all slathered with some sweet, but not too sweet, cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with more chopped pecans.

This recipe comes from A Latte Food.

5 from 1 vote

Hummingbird Banana Bread

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients

For the bread

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
8 oz crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups bananas (about 3-4 medium-sized), mashed
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

To make the bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray or butter. Set them aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla extract. Next, add the egg, one at a time. Beat until combined.
Add the pineapple, shredded coconut, and mashed bananas to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir until they are just combined.
Add the pecans and stir until they are just distributed throughout.
Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes out clean.
Allow the loaves to cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before removing them from the pans to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

To make the cream cheese frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until they are well combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix.
Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
Spread the frosting over the cooled loaves. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

The listed preparation time does not include the time required to let the banana bread cool.
Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Want more banana bread-y recipes? Take a look at my Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Banana Bread, Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread, and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies!

Penne with Vodka Sauce

February 21, 2017 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

This Penne with Vodka Sauce tastes like you cooked up a storm, but it really couldn’t be easier.

I originally intended to post this on Valentine’s Day, but then again I intend to do a great many things and never get around to it. Also this recipe doesn’t requires the occurrence of a Hallmark holiday for you to make it.

This pasta is very simple to make, requiring not much more than a bit of chopping and stirring. Despite its simplicity, it’s delicious and tastes like you made a real fuss.

Penne with Vodka Sauce

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized shallot, minced
6 oz. can tomato paste
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup plain vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
cooked shrimp, scallops, or chicken optional)

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and shallots, and sauté until the shallots are translucent.
Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, stirring it around a bit. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, and vodka, stirring to combine.
Turn the heat heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce reduces by about 1/4; about 20 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Strain and set aside.
Add the cream, stir to combine, and simmer until heated through. Add the Parmesan cheese, stir, and heat until melted.
Add the cooked pasta, stir to coat all noodles with sauce, and serve. Top with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Notes: You could add some protein, too, if you'd like. Shrimp, scallops, or chicken would all be very good.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

July 14, 2016 by laurenpacek 9 Comments

The flavors of sweet corn, tangy roasted cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil make this Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes taste just like summer in a bowl.

This risotto is summery AF. There’s no way around it.

Sweet corn, perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil play so, so well together.

The sweet corn flavor factor is amplified in this risotto, because in addition to using corn kernels, I also used about a cup of pureed corn in place of some of the broth. It takes up a little extra time, but is well worth it.

In search of even more risotto goodness? This Avocado and Corn Risotto is also pretty dang summery. You can’t go wrong with Beer, Cheddar, and Sausage Risotto, IMO. And, really. Pumpkin Risotto is appropriate at all times of the year, no matter what anyone else says.

The flavors of this risotto was inspired by this recipe found on Celebrating Sweets.

5 from 1 vote

Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4 people

Author: laurenpacek

Ingredients

For the roasted tomatoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

For the corn

4 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked
2-4 tbs vegetable or chicken broth

For the risotto

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh basil, cut into ribbons

Instructions

To make the roasted tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Combine the halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and salt and pepper on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour, checking after 30 and 45 minutes, to ensure that they aren't burning. Set aside to cool once done.

To make the corn

Cut the kernels off of the 4 corn cobs.
Blend ~1 cup of the kernels in a blender or food processor with 2-4 tbs of broth. Use just enough broth to make a mostly smooth puree. Set the pureed corn and other kernels aside for a few minutes.

To make the risotto

Heat the 5 cups of broth in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and then turn it to low.
In a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the garlic and remaining corn kernels. Sauté until the garlic is very fragrant.
Add the Arborio rice and stir so that every grain gets coated in the olive oil and butter. Allow the rice to toast a bit, stirring occasionally. Once it starts to smell nutty, add the pureed corn. Stir occasionally until almost all of the puree has been absorbed by the rice.
Turn the heat off under the broth, and add a couple of ladles to the rice. Stir occasionally until, again, almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the risotto is creamy and the rice is no longer al dente.
Add the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it has been incorporated. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Top the risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

You can substitute ~3-4 cups of frozen corn (thawed) for the fresh corn, if needed
You may or may not need to use all of the broth
To test whether the rice is still al dente, take a bite

Strawberry Pecan Salad with Beets and Poppy Seed Dressing

May 26, 2016 by laurenpacek 3 Comments

This Strawberry Pecan Salad with Beets is fresh, delicious, and chock full of spring produce. I topped this salad with a tangy and sweet homemade poppy seed dressing.

Salad need not be boring. Banish that notion from your mind. This salad–along with this Mediterranean Chopped Salad, Greek Power Bowl, and Strawberry Balsamic Salad–is proof. #saddesklunch be gone!

For this little number, I loaded up some arugula and baby greens with lots of berries and roasted beets. Then I added some crunchy toasted pecans and some salty feta cheese. Top all of that with a tangy-sweet homemade poppy seed dressing, and you’re in business.

Strawberry Pecan Salad with Beets and Poppyseed Dressing

Prep Time

10 mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 salad

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

For the dressing (makes enough for 4-5 salads)

1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbs honey
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs plain Greek yogurt
1 tbs poppy seeds
salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad

3 cups greens of choice
fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
5-6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup roasted beets, see notes
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup feta cheese

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients for the poppy seed dressing together. Taste and add more salt or pepper as desired. The dressing will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for ~5 days. Set aside for a moment.
Add all of the salad ingredients to a bowl. Drizzle with 1-2 tbs dressing.

Recipe Notes

Notes: The recipe for roasted beets can be found here

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

May 10, 2016 by laurenpacek 4 Comments

This Mediterranean Chopped Salad is full of big savory and sour flavors. It’s very filling and will keep you going until dinnertime.

Haaaayyyy! I’m clawing my way back from grant submission-induced online inactivity.

The first recipe I wanted to show you this week is this Mediterranean Chopped Salad, which I’ve been making for a few years now.

Don’t worry, we’ll be back to donuts and cookies soon enough.

Need more salad action? Check out this Greek Power Bowl, Strawberry Balsamic Salad, and Watermelon and Avocado Salad, to name just a few.

They, along with this chopped salad, are all light enough for the warmer weather, but still substantial enough to keep you going until dinner time.

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Servings: 4 salads

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

For the salad

1 medium English cucumber
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 14 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
4-5 cups lettuces of choice

For the vinaigrette -

3 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

To make the salad

Cut the English cucumber in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Cut each cucumber half into thirds, and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Add the cucumber to a large bowl along with the halved tomatoes, chick peas, chopped olives, crumbled feta, and greens. Toss everything together.

To make the vinaigrette

Whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the proportions to your liking.
Add the vinaigrette to the salad once you are ready to eat.

Want to make this salad even more filling? Throw some avocado or baked falafel on top. You can’t go wrong.

Farro Caprese Salad

April 11, 2016 by laurenpacek 3 Comments

This farro caprese salad is fresh and summery. It’s perfect for upcoming warmer weather.

Farro is, hands down, my new favorite grain. It’s an ancient grain that’s roughly nutritionally equivalent to quinoa. However, I find its chewy texture to be much more interesting. It’s kind of nutty, and is great in salads. I can’t lie, I even ate it as a hot breakfast cereal one morning with some brown sugar and cinnamon. Pretty tasty.

Though you could definitely make this salad any time of the year, Caprese anything screams “summer” to me. This salad is doubly summery, to me, with the addition of baby arugula.

I’ve made this to take to work all week for my lunch, but this would also be perfect for cookouts and BBQs, or as a side dish for dinner.

This salad is inspired by one that I saw on Pastiche.

This can be eaten cold, at room temperature, or warm (think melty strings of mozzarella).

Farro Caprese Salad

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the salad

14 oz bag Italian pearled farro
4 cups water
2 tsp olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
2 handfuls fresh baby arugula

For the vinaigrette

1.5 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

To make the salad

Place the farro and water in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the remaining water from the pot, add the olive oil and salt, and toss to combine. Allow the farro to cool to room temperature.
Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and arugula to the cooled farro. Toss everything together.

To make the vinaigrette

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Pour the vinaigrette over the farro and toss to coat everything evenly.

Citrus Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese

February 4, 2016 by laurenpacek 2 Comments

Citrus zest and rosemary were made to be included in the cheesy goodness of macaroni and cheese.

I was somewhat skeptical of this recipe when I first saw it, but was intrigued nonetheless. I mean, I think that rosemary makes enough sense, but citrus flavors in mac and cheese?

It totally works. Trust. You can also mix it up based on the citrus that you have on hand. I just happened to have lemons and oranges in the house, but grapefruit zest would probably be pretty great too.

This recipe comes from Local Kitchen Blog.

Citrus Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

1 lb short cut pasta
3 tbs butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 3/4 cups milk
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2.5 oz parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package, but undercook it by just a couple of minutes. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot that was used to cook the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook the roux for about 30 seconds.
While whisking constantly, slowly pour the milk in. Whisk occasionally until the white sauce starts to thicken up. Add the citrus zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the cheddar and whisk until it is melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust your seasonings as needed.
Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat everything. Pour it into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the shredded parmesan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and lightly browned. Let it cool for a few minutes before digging in.

Greek Power Bowl

October 23, 2015 by laurenpacek 6 Comments

This Greek Power Bowl has just about all of the bases covered: creamy, crunchy, savory, tangy, filling but not too heavy. It will fill you up and keep you powered until dinner time!

One of the things that I really like about this salad (I mean, besides all of the amazing toppings) is that I use shredded Brussels sprouts as a part of the salad base! Just trim the stem off of your sprouts, remove the tough outer leaves, and pass them through your food processor, using the shredding disk. Toss them in with whatever other salad greens you’d like to use. Trust me, you want to try it.

All in all, it’s a pretty healthy salad. The hummus might add some calories, but the tzatziki is guilt-free as long as you use 0% Greek yogurt.