Olive Pesto Pasta

Olive Pesto Pasta

The month of December always feels overly full. Between preparing for the holidays, closing out the year, and the normal work load, food falls by the wayside. On top of that, the cookies and sweets are everywhere. While pasta isn’t the healthiest, it’s quick and makes this meal easy to get to the table in 15 minutes. If you’re looking for a slightly more healthy option without pasta, skip down to the variations. Read more and see the recipe.

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Pesto Potato Skillet

Egg Pesto Potato Skillet | http://naturallyella.com

Originally Posted on August 29th, 2012. Last updated on August 30th, 2015.

Potatoes | http://naturallyella.com
Breakfast. As I get older, I tend to realize small things that make my life great.  Things like not using an alarm clock (I have a dog for that), withdrawing from pop culture (I had to look up what YOLO meant and the first time I head Call Me, Maybe was actually the Cookie Monster version), and I’ve stopped letting politics upset me (personally I think Jed Bartlet should be president and for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, I don’t own cable and am currently watching The West Wing for the first time).

However, one of the things I cherish most is the ability to sit down, drink coffee, and eat breakfast every morning.  Rarely do I have a morning when I’m running out the door, feeling stressed and in a hurry (luckily my classes start late enough that time is not something I lack).

When I worked at the bakery my wake-up time was 3:00 to get out the door by 3:30 and start work by 3:50.  My breakfast would often be a scone or danish that we made that morning while I was whipping up pies, cookies, and cheesecakes.  I didn’t realize until then how much I valued my slow-going, coffee filled mornings.  I realized that mornings and breakfast were my time to gear up for the day and without it, I’d often feel lost.

 Plus, I do love a good, savory breakfast.

Pesto Potato Skillet with Eggs | http://naturallyella.com

This potato skillet is perfect for those mornings and if you are one of those people who has to run out the door in the morning, tuck it aside for a leisurely weekend. Make the pesto ahead of time for one less step you would need to do in the morning (and a few extra minutes of sleep).

My pestos vary depending on the machine I’m using to make them. My food processor and regular blender make a pesto where the sauce retains some texture from the basil. However, using a high-powered blender (like my Blendtec), creates a green sauce (pictured here). I actually prefer to leave some basil intact, but I wanted to give a heads-up just incase your skillet doesn’t look like mine.

See the Recipe.

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Chipotle Cilantro Pesto Black Bean Summer Pasta

Chipotle Cilantro Pesto Black Bean Summer Pasta | http://naturallyella.com

| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

Black Bean Pasta | http://naturallyella.com

Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomatoes
Chipotle Cilantro Pesto | http://naturallyella.com

Chipotle Cilantro Pesto Black Bean Summer Pasta | http://naturallyella.com

One of the things I love most about cooking vegetarian is the color. It is almost impossible to create a dish that isn’t appealing (beyond a few beige items, but even then a few fresh herbs can help!) I sometimes create meals based on the contrast of colors to make the meal more appealing. One of those dishes that comes to mind is this Pesto Polenta with Smokey Chickpeas.

When I was playing with flours for The Homemade Flour Cookbook, I fell in love with black bean flour. It had a fairly mild flavor profile and the color, after cooking, had this beautiful purple hue. I loved the color so much, I even made black bean tofu. In the cookbook, however, I made black bean pasta. Since then, it’s become a staple in my kitchen.

Of course, I know not everyone is as ambitious as I am when it comes to grinding their own flour (or making homemade pasta). I am excited to share this recipe with you using Ancient Harvest’s Black Bean Pasta. Their pasta contains three simple ingredients: black bean flour, brown rice flour, and quinoa flour and has a gorgeous color after cooking. This color makes for such a unique spin on any dish. Of course, you can always make this with any pasta- regular or gluten-free.

In this case, it’s a summer pasta dish topped with one of my favorites, a chipotle cilantro pesto. It’s a bit spicy and packed full of flavor. Plus, by using AH’s pasta, this dish is gluten-free and vegan! I usually make extra of the cilantro pesto to use on tacos, in quesadillas, and on breakfast egg skillets as well.

See the Recipe.

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