Ginger Coconut Green Linguine

Prepare to be amazed on so many different levels. 

St. Patrick's Day is in ten days! Normally, I don't really do novelty recipes. I wish I did more, but honestly, I just don't think that far in advance...or care. It's mostly the latter. St. Pattie's Day was always fun as a kid. We would make green rice krispie treats and green eggs, among other things. When Todd and I have little chitlins we're going to make a ton of green vegan food for St. Patrick's Day! I find it preferable to use natural methods to make fun, green dishes as opposed to using a dye. I'm not a crazy anti-dye person but, dye in food just kind of freaks me out. I can't explain it. 

This green linguine is done in the time it takes you to boil a pot of water and cook the pasta. Seriously you guys. And it happens to be the is the perfect vegan St. Patrick's day entree! Serve with a side of broccoli and oh man, you will be a green super-star. So make this green linguine and you'll be eating your greens too! This pasta is a keeper for sure. Todd loved it, which, let's be real...it's swiss chard and spinach so...I was pretty impressed with myself. When I tasted it though, I understood why, and you will too. It's freaking delicious!

Slightly sweet with a hint of gingery spice, this delectable green linguine bathes in a creamy coconut, swiss chard, spinach, and basil sauce. Besides the utterly amazing flavor, what I love about this pasta is how quick it comes together. 

Ginger Coconut Green Linguine

Serves 6

• 16 oz. linguine, dry
• 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 15 oz. can lite coconut milk
• 2 tsp. vegan sugar
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 bunch of fresh swiss chard, de-stemmed and chopped
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (optional)

Notes: Kale can be used instead of swiss chard, if you prefer. Full-fat coconut milk can be used, just use half the can and add half a can of water. Try not to let the coconut milk boil over or it will curdle. Once the water for the pasta is boiling, add in the pasta and cook. The pasta and sauce should get done at about the same time. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package until al dente. Drain and set aside until ready to use. 

In a large, high rimmed saute pan heat the oil over low. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. 

Add in the coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring to a slight simmer over medium heat. 

Now, add in the swiss chard and spinach. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes over low, until the greens have wilted. 

Transfer to a blender, add the basil, and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and add any additional seasonings you wish, then transfer back to the large saute pan and stir in the cooked pasta to coat. 

Serve hot. 

Don't forget to have your little kitchen helper by your side!

Yes, I cook in a full length nightgown that may or may not be inside out. I'm turning into my grandmother...actually, she did gift me it so...

Listening to Brand New – The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot and reliving 2004.

German Word of The Day: Coconut --> Kokosnuss (pronounced: co-cus-nose)

Good Deed of The Day: Sign this petition from The Human Society to help protect wolves with federal safeguards to stop trophy hunting and trapping seasons in several states. Thousands of wolves have been mercilessly slaughtered.

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Glass Noodle Primavera

Spring won't emerge here in Alaska for quite some time. However, the fact that we have no snow to speak of, longer days, and the warmth from the the sun intensifying has forced me to think about it. Springtime. It'll be a tad bittersweet for Todd and I. There's so much to look forward to this summer. I'll be a bridesmaid in two weddings. Two very important weddings, and I couldn't be more excited to spend those specials days with my very best of friends. I can't wait to run outside in the sun again with Todd now that he's doing better because of our lifestyle change veganism, with regards to his arthritis. I'm looking forward to doing more backpacking this summer, and I can't wait to forage in the springtime. My brandnew foraging and gathering books have been collecting dust since the fall. Also, super exciting, our veganiversary and Produce On Parade's one year birthday are in April! Oh, and my birthday too, let's not forget.

However, it'll also be a bit of a downer. We'd hoped to definitely be building this spring, but it looks like we'll have to wait another entire year. It wouldn't be such a horrible thing, but we happen to be living in the teensiest, tiniest house that is literally crumbling. I'm not kidding. The stone tiles are breaking and the grout is crumbling away only to get stuck in our cordless POS vacuum or eaten by Bob. The roof was completely replaced last fall, but our wind storm in January ripped a good chunk of it off and the landlord refuses to fix it until April. Happy Birthday me? "Text me if it starts leaking." Seriously, that was her instruction. I'm not making this up. The porch is rotting wood that's no longer nailed together and bounces up and down and when stepped on. It was supposed to be replaced into a concert porch last summer...yea, that didn't happen. All this, among many other things.

Regrettably and most importantly, it also postpones our family planning. At this rate we'll be 40 before we have our first child! So, there's my sad story. I hope it made you feel better about your situation. Just teasing. I know we're lucky to live in Alaska, let alone with a roof over our head! Truely. I've slept in my car more than a few times. Apparently it's frowned upon to sleep in your car with a 90 lb. dog during winter at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. Just sayin'. Don't park at the art building, the cops will find you. Who knew? Parks are also off limits. I recommend the grocery store parking lot.

Yet, one always has to see the silver lining. We'll be able to save up more for our down payment and not feel one bit rushed. We'll also have the opportunity to really fine tune our house plans and develop a good strategy plan. Besides, I know it will happen one day. 

How does this all tie into today's recipe? Spring! As promised in this post...more GLASS NOODLE! Glass Noodle Primavera to be specific. Primavera means spring in Spanish. 

If there's anything that could cheer me up food wise, besides chocolate let's be real, it'd be this bright and sunny glass noodle vegetable dish. It's a bit of a twist on pasta primavera. Still flourishing with crisp, fresh spring vegetables but glass noodles replace regular pasta and drenched instead in an Asian sesame sauce. 

You won't see my cherry tomatoes in the photographs because I am total space cadet and I completely forgot to add them at the end. Never fear, I stirred them in after I took all the photos. Go figure. Sometimes things just don't go as planned. 

Glass Noodle Primavera 

Serves 6

Notes: It's a good idea to do the prep work for the vegetables before starting. However, wait to chop the fresh herbs as they can darken if left chopped for an extended period of time. I like to cook the noodles last. They only need to sit in hot water for about 5 minutes. 

• Sauce:
• 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. vegan sugar
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• Vegetables:
• 2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, halved on the diagonal
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded 
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chiffonaded 
• 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
• fresh sprouts, for garnish (optional)
• Noodles:
• 9 oz. mung bean thread noodles, dry

First, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for blanching the vegetables.

Now make the sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, dissolving the sugar. Set aside until ready to use. 

Once the water is boiling, add the sugar snap peas, edamame, and the green peas. Submerge for about 1 minute, then drain the vegetables and rinse them under very cold water until they're chilled. Alternatively, they could be plunged into an ice bath. Drain and set aside. 

Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle. Place the dried noodles in a large bowl and submerge in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until ready to use. 

Meanwhile, in a large wok or frying pan, heat the olive oil over low. Add the sesame seeds and the garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the cooked noodles and the sauce. Stir well to coat to noodles. Add the blanched vegetables, tomatoes, and the fresh herbs. Cook only until heated through. 

Serve warm with fresh sprouts on top. 

Listening to: My jam about six years ago, Duffy – Warwick Avenue.

German Word of The Day: Spring --> Frühling (pronounced: frooh-ling)

Good Deed of The Day: Ummm, all I have to say about this one is WTF? Sign this petition to remove humane officer that shot kittens in front of children. This happened in Ohio!

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Broccoli Walnut Pesto

This creamy pesto, lightened up by using a smaller amount of oil, gets it's zing from lemon juice and miso. Pine nuts, move over because walnuts are taking center stage here. And for real, fresh basil in Alaska in January can be hard to come by. Plus, I'm not a bajillionaire. Broccoli it is!

“Oh my god, this is soooo so good!” ”Great! I’m glad you like it. It’s mostly broccoli and walnuts, so I was kind of worried that you wouldn’t.””Geeeeezzze, don’t tell me that!”

— Todd

Who says pesto can't be cheap, lower in calories, and seriously delicious...all while still being vegan? I say that it can and it shall be. 

If you have trouble getting your family members (husband included) to eat broccoli, this is your dish. Straight up. When Todd got home from work, I told him we were having pasta for dinner. This is usually pretty exciting because we don't tend to eat it very often.

Then, he walked into the kitchen and saw a giant bowl of broccoli. His face melted from delight to what can best be described as that of a kid who tore open a present on Christmas morning only to find a crocheted tie from Aunt Gladys. Disappointed and a bit bamboozled. 

He self-proclaims that he's "not-big-on-broccoli". That it's not really his thing. Well, four servings later, one for me and three for Todd...I ended up surrendering a big bowl of the pesto pasta to Todd for his lunch. I brought a PB&J to work. Best wife ever? Dang, now I really want some of that pesto!

Broccoli Walnut Pesto

By Katie Henry - Produce On Parade

This creamy pesto, lightened up by using a smaller amount of oil, gets it's zing from lemon juice and miso. Pine nuts, move over because walnuts are taking center stage here. And for real, fresh basil in Alaska in January can be hard to come by. Plus, I'm not a bajillionaire. Broccoli it is!

Ingredients

• 1 large head of broccoli, florets only
• 16 oz. of dry pasta
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 small handful of fresh basil (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. walnut oil (olive oil will work, too)
• 1 Tbsp. miso paste
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. In a large pot of water, boil the broccoli florets for 3 minutes until bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon (keeping the water in the pot) and rinse under cold water; set aside.
2. Add the dry pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package. Strain once cooked but reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta. Return the noodles to pot and set aside.
3. While the pasta cooks, in a food processor combine the walnuts through the vinegar and process until it's reached a fine consistency. There will be a lot of scraping down the sides of the bowl, but it's a small price to pay. Add the florets and process until very smooth and creamy.
4. Stir the pesto sauce and some reserved water into the pot of cooked noodles until it’s reached a desired consistency. Salt to taste.
5. Serve hot with some crushed walnuts on top, if you like!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 00:15
Total time: 00:25
Yield: 6 servings

Listening to Portugal. The Man – Modern Jesus