Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more pumpkin.

Seriously, cannot get enough. I'm thinking of doing a 31-days-of-pumpkin cooking challenge; I think I could incorporate it into 1 meal every day and be ecstatic with the results. 

This recipe is super easy (start to finish in like 30 minutes), and the flavor is so unique.

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage Recipe:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes
• 1/2 lb pre-cooked smoked turkey sausage link, sliced
• 1 tbsp fennel seed
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tbsp greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• handful of fresh spinach
• 2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• whole wheat pasta

Start bringing your pasta water to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium/medium-low heat. Add the shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes until golden. Throw in the sliced sausage, fennel and paprika and cook until it starts to release some moisture and brown. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, yogurt and broth and mix until smooth. Add more or less of any of those ingredients to get your desired taste/texture. Add in the saucepan, bring to a slight boil, reduce and simmer until the pasta is finished. Throw in a handful of spinach and freshly grated nutmeg and stir. Finally, add the cooked pasta, combine and serve! 

Pumpkin Mole Enchiladas

I would consider myself a pretty humble person who doesn't boast often or enjoy a lot of attention. Sigh, middle child syndrome. But holy mole (har har) this dish is freaking fantastic. I am tooting my own horn all the way back to the kitchen to get seconds. It was a pretty laborious recipe, but all the careful details really made a difference in the final product. As usual, I didn't measure any of my dry seasonings so I'll try to guesstimate. Yay for fall + pumpkin + smoky Aztec-inspired flavors!

Pumpkin Mole Enchiladas Recipe:

• 1 large split chicken breast (bone-in and skin removed)
• salt, black pepper, Oregano, smoked Spanish paprika, cumin, roasted garlic powder

• 1 tomato
• 2 jalapenos
• 3 green onion bulbs + stalks
• 2 garlic cloves
• handful of mushrooms

• 1/2 can pumpkin puree
• chicken broth (didn't measure but about 1/4-1/2 cup)
• salt, black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp allspice
• 2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika

• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp pumpkin mole sauce
• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 cup grated mozzerella and Asiago cheese blend
• corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your chicken breast in a casserole dish and season generously with first set of spices. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit covered to retain all the juices.

Crank up the oven to broil. Place the next set of veggies on a baking tray and roast in 2 minute increments, checking and rotating often to prevent burning. Took about 6-8 minutes total.

Remove veggies and let cool for a couple minutes. Turn oven back to 350 degrees. Slice up the roasted garlic, remove the onion bulbs (save stalks for later) and de-stem the jalapenos. Add all the trimmed roasted veggies (except for mushrooms) in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and chicken broth and blend. Finally add all of the dry seasonings, blend and pour into a bowl when you have your desired taste and texture.

By this time your chicken should be well-rested. Hand pull the meat off of the bone (laborious, right?). Combine in a bowl with spinach, chopped roasted mushrooms, diced roasted green onion stalk, cumin, Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp of pumpkin sauce. 

Warm tortillas in damp paper towel in microwave for about 45 seconds. Pour a little chicken broth and pumpkin sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish (I used the same one I roasted the chicken in so all the little chicken bits and gravy were in there too). Now start rolling enchiladas! Fill tortilla with chicken mixture and cheese and place in dish. Cover everything with the heavenly pumpkin mole sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove foil, grate some fresh nutmeg on top and bake again for 5 minutes. BAM! Done. Enjoy these perfect fall enchiladas and smile :)

Stir-Fry Veggie Udon

This is one of the prettiest dishes I have ever eaten, if I do say so myself. 

I think spinach + purple cabbage= my new favorite culinary color combo.

It also tasted really, really, really good! I was very pleased, especially since I was just throwing something together quick to use all the fresh veggies in the fridge before I go out of town for the weekend. I would definitely recommend this meal.

Stir-Fry Veggie Udon Recipe:

• 1/2 package Udon noodles (for 2 people)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 carrot, diced
• 4 Thai chiles (spicy!), diced
• 1/4 head of purple cabbage, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh spinach, torn
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp red chile paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• Black pepper
• Sesame seeds and chiffoned fresh basil for garnish

Cook the Udon according to package instructions.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, chiles and carrot. Cook for about 5- 10 minutes to soften. Add the purple cabbage, soy sauce, chile paste, fish sauce, pepper and vinegar. Cook until the purple cabbage becomes tender (another 5-10 minutes). Add the peanut butter and spinach. Be sure to incorporate the peanut butter well so as to not to have big lumps. Cook until the spinach has wilted. Add cooked Udon noodles. Garnish with sesame seed and basil. Enjoy!

Spinach Pesto Pasta

More green stuff!

Maybe it's because it's almost St. Patrick's Day. Maybe it's because I have a lot of fresh spinach that I don't want to go bad. Regardless, this spinach pesto is the the bomb. Use whatever veggies and meat you have in the kitchen to go along with it.

Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe:

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 lemon, squeezed
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp chicken broth
• 2 tsp red chile flakes
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh basil

• 1 chicken breast
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 bunch asparagus
• 1/4 lemon, squeezed
  
• 1/2 pkg whole wheat spaghetti
  
• green onions, olives, banana peppers (optional)
  

Blend the first set of ingredients together and set aside. Place the chicken breast in a small baking pan and season with Italian spices, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and place in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, throw in the asparagus and squeeze with lemon juice. Place back in oven for 10 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions. When finished, drain, add pesto and asparagus and top with sliced chicken. Add fresh cheese, scallions, olives, etc.

Green Breakfast Smoothie

Mmm, nothing like a cold glass of green stuff to get the day started.

I'm actually not one of those people that judge foods by their natural color. I love green stuff. Artificial coloring, on the other hand, is different. No green or purple ketchup please. That's weird.

Juice fasting is the all the rage these days, and green juices are especially good for you. I usually need something a little more dense to keep me full in the morning though. This green smoothie is perfect.

Green Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 pre-sliced frozen banana
• handful fresh spinach, rinsed well or 1/4 cup frozen spinach
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• more ice as needed (to make smoothie thicker)

Blend everything together and enjoy! It didn't occur to me until after I already started drinking it that some fresh grated ginger would be a fantastic addition too. I'll add it next time :)

Immunity Boosting Meal

I was sick all last week and it was no fun. Started with a bad sore throat, turned into congestion, headache, fatigue, etc. Just your average crummy cold.

After countless cups of hot tea and Ibuprofen, I was ready for a really good, healthy meal. I was craving protein-packed foods and lots of vitamins. I pretty much made this meal up in like 5 minutes in my head. I just knew all these flavors would work excellently together, and they did.

If you're in need of an immunity-boosting meal, eat this.

Baked Atlantic Salmon with Spinach Salad:

• 1 salmon fillet
• 1/4 lemon, sliced
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• fresh black pepper
• 1/2 bunch fresh spinach, torn
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  
• 1/4 cup raw almonds, chopped
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1/2 tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 35o-degrees Fahrenheit. Place salmon in a shallow baking dash. Whisk the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, minced garlic and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over salmon and top with lemon slices. Cover with foil and bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until salmon easily flakes with fork.

Combine the remaining ingredients for the salad. When salmon is finished cooking, poor the dripping sauce over the spinach salad and top with the fish.

Feel your body thank you.

I paired it with this little number:

Magic Hat Spring Seasonal Brew

What? People have been using alcohol as medicine for centuries...