Macadamia Nut Pesto (with vegan option)

I love this pesto that uses delicious macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts, which can be expensive and tricky to come by. Macadamia nuts are a great source of magnesium and potassium and are fantastic in recipes ike this or just to eat plain as a snack. Also, see below for a vegan recipe option if needed.

• 2 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed

• ¼ cup macadamia nuts shelled and roasted

• 2 ounces Manchego cheese broken into ½ to 1 inch pieces (or see note for dairy free)

• ¼ teaspoon salt reduce to a pinch if nuts are salted

• 2 cups basil leaves washed and dried

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Note: The cheese in this recipe can be easily omitted, but if you are dairy free and would like more of a “cheesy flavor” try adding some nutritional yeast and a bit more lemon juice. Start by adding a small amount of nutritional yeast, mixing and sampling, up to 1 or 2 tablespoons for this recipe, plus a splash of lemon juice. Nutritional yeast is also a great source of B Vitamins!

See the entire recipe and directions at Parsley and Parm.

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad because it’s endlessly adaptable. Feel free to switch out any of the veggies for any fresh vegetables you see at the Farmer’s Market (the Palos Heights Farmer’s Market is on Wednesdays from 8-1). Also, we have a great gluten free fusilli pasta at the store by Cadia that’s perfect for this recipe!

Ingredients:

12 oz Gluten-Free Tri-Color Rotini*

2 Cups Chopped English Cucumber (1 large cucumber)

2 Cups Chopped Red Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Orange Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Yellow Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Halved Grape Tomatoes (1 pint)

1 Cup Chopped Red Onion (about ½ medium onion)

1 Cup Sliced Black Olives (1 3.8 oz can)

Italian Dressing:

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 TB Dried Parsley

1 TB Dried Oregano

2 Tsp Dried Basil

½ Tsp Black Pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at Strength and Sunshine.

Asparagus Pasta Salad

This recipe is made especially delicious with the fresh spring asparagus that's available now! It can also easily be made gluten free by substituting gluten free pasta!

8 oz. penne pasta, uncooked (gluten free if desired)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced purple onion

For the dressing:
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (if dairy free, substitute Tofutti sour cream or blended tofu)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

See the entire recipe and directions at I Wash, You Dry.

Dairy Free Alfredo Pasta Sauce

This is a great dairy free sauce that's much healthier (and significantly lower in calories) than the original.  I won't say that it's exactly the same as its the original, but it's a nice, healthy alternative!

The original recipe was made for two servings, but I scaled it up to use a whole cauliflower and an entire package of pasta.

INGREDIENTS:

3 clove of garlic
1bs extra virgin olive oil
3 cup cauliflower (100 grams
2 1/4 cup almond milk (175 milliliters)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
12 ounces uncooked pasta (gluten-free if necessary)

See the entire recipe and directions at Simple Vegan Blog.

Dark Leafy Pesto

This is a fantastic twist on the standard pesto recipe that uses greens rather than basil leaves.  It's also very nutritionally dense and makes a healthy sauce to use on pasta or other grains.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. collard, kale, or mustard greens, tough stems trimmed
• ¼ cup pecans
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ¼ cup sage leaves
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt, optional
• ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Read the entire recipe and directions at Vegetarian Times.

This sauce is also a delicious part of this recipe: Penne and Dark Leafy Pesto and Roasted Squash.

Ina Gartens Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Orzo is a wonderful pasta, and it pairs perfectly with fresh vegetables.  This is a light and different salad to enjoy this summer!

Ingredients:

• 1 small eggplant, 3/4-inch diced
• 1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
• 1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

• 4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3/4 feta cheese (Ina says "good" feta, not crumbled, but I used crumbled - sorry girlfriend)
• 15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Read the complete recipe and directions at andtheycookedhappilyeverafter.com

Zucchini and Tomato "Pasta"

This is a delicious and low calorie raw food recipe!

Ingredients:

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

¼ cup toasted pistachios

2 tablespoons torn fresh basil, plus extra leaves for garnish

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

1 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise, then cut into ¼ inch long strips

kosher salt

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Read the complete recipe and directions at blissfulbblog.com