CSA Fennel, Zucchini, & Tomato Pasta

CSAs are wonderful, but if you’re not exactly sure what to do with fennel, armed with an abundance of zucchini and tomatoes, they can be overwhelming. This delicious pasta dish makes use of three CSA items (we had fresh mint in ours so that makes four!) in spectacular fashion. Sweet, roasted fennel and zucchini blend with umami miso and nutritional yeast and tart cherry tomatoes for a lovely summer pasta dish.

I'm cooking a lot these days but just don't have a much time for recipe development and photography. Most evenings I just throw together a meal and only after it's done and tasting how scrumptious it is wish I would have measured everything; then I could have shared it! Who wants to recipe develop when you can spend that time snuggling with an adorable seven month old?? I'm trying though. I actually have a few recipes on the way, photographs and everything! Hurray me!

Todd and I have been trying to get our lawn in order and generally spending as much time outside with Oliver as possible. Fall in Alaska is so fleeting and it's always a scramble to make the most of such an inspiring season. The air is crisp and refreshing, fluttering leaves dance in the breeze, as golden light filters through the birch trees; it's one of the most magical times up here but it never lasts.

Our CSA is in full swing and we are enjoying its bounty. With just the two of us consuming a large share, it can test my ingenuity on using up all those beauitful veggies! This recipe used up four of the CSA items, so it will definitely be placed on the rotation. I hope you love this meal as much as we both did. 

CSA Fennel, Zucchini, & Tomato Pasta

Recipe by Kathleen @ Produce On Parade

CSAs are wonderful, but if you’re not exactly sure what to do with fennel, armed with an abundance of zucchini and tomatoes, they can be overwhelming. This delicious pasta dish makes use of three CSA items (we had fresh mint in ours so that makes four!) in spectacular fashion. Sweet, roasted fennel and zucchini blend with umami miso and nutritional yeast and tart cherry tomatoes for a lovely summer pasta dish.

Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed sliced into ½ inch thick short wedges
• 1 extra-large zucchini, quartered and chopped
• dash of seasoning salt
• 8 oz dry penne pasta
• 3 tbsp vegan butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained but ½ cup of the liquid reserved
• 1 ½ tbsp red miso
• 1 ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 heaping cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange the fennel and zucchini in a single layer on two large baking trays coated with a nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil if you like and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until slightly browned and tender.
2. While the veggies roast, bring a medium pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook al dente according to the package. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and saute the garlic for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Whisk in the chickpea liquid, miso, and nutritional yeast until the miso is clump-free. Stir in the roasted veggies, cooked pasta, chickpeas, and tomatoes; cook until the entire mixture is warm. Remove from heat and stir in the mint leaves; taste and salt as needed. Serve warm.

Miso Pasta with Summer Squash

This creamy, miso-flavored pasta pairs perfectly with tender summer squash with notes of garlic, thyme, and cheese. Dinner is done in the time it takes to boil the noodles.

Miso: more than just soup. I don't know about you, but I put miso in errrything. Salty, umami, earthy, probioticy (it's a word now!)... miso's got all the goodness going on. I prefer the dark or red miso as I find it to be the most flavorful. However, if you're new to miso try the mellower yellow one. Once you start putting it in dishes and sauces, you'll never stop. It's a great alternative to salt, anchovies, parmesan, or feta flavors.

Did you know miso makes a wonderful pasta sauce as well? Oh yes, my friends. This is a super quick and easy weeknight meal that everyone will love and even sneaks in veggies too (like all that squash from the garden). I hope you'll love it as much as Todd and I did; it'll be a new staple in our house for sure!

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

— Barack Obama

Miso Pasta with Summer Squash

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 06/17/2016

This creamy, miso-flavored pasta pairs perfectly with tender summer squash with notes of garlic, thyme, and cheese. Dinner is done in the time it takes to boil the noodles!

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti, dry
• 3 tbsp vegan stick butter
• 3 medium summer squash or zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp red miso paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan worcheshire sauce (check the store-brand)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp large-flake nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to package, until al dente. Before draining reserve ⅓ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and return to pot.
2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the squash and saute for 5 minutes before adding garlic; saute an additional 10 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the squash is just tender but not overcooked. Remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the miso through the thyme. Add the cooked noodles to the sauteed squash and stir in the sauce and reserved pasta water until well coated. Stir in the nutritional yeast and serve hot.

Yield: 6

Yum

An INSANE New Cooking Adventure?? + Fettuccine w/ Baked Tofu, Zucchini, & Burst Cherry Tomatoes

A lovely and light spring dish, this meal is heavy on the protein thanks to savory tofu. Sauteed zucchini and burst cherry tomatoes lend their own delicious juices to create a fresh sauce for the fettucine. This pasta is simple, healthy, and quick enough for a weeknight.

“The best advice I’ve ever received is ‘No one else knows what they’re doing either’”

— Ricky Gervais

So, something insane happened two days ago. It's hard for me to even put into words how out-of-this-world the last couple days have been. Here goes; I got an email from a production company that wanted to interview Todd and I for... something... #ImNotAllowedToSay but it's like the pinnacle of anything ever to do with cooking and the public.

It has to do with big-time, super-popular, national, errrybody is watching it type television thing. It's the most crazy, surreal thing that has literally every happened to me. This company discovered me because of my cookbook and they will be submitting my interview (and several others) to the network in less than one week for said opportunity. That's really all I'm allowed to divulge (I asked if I could share the news because I'm totally freaking out right now!!!) I. CAN'T. EVEN. YOU GUYS!

I don't know if I'll get the gig, they have other folks they interviewed as well, but I think I might just implode if they do choose me. But in the best way possible of course. No matter what happens I am super stoked to have even been approached! I'll keep you all posted!

Mind blowing and world-shattering, but in a good way! I wish I could tell you more!!! I feel like I'm living someone else's life right now. On another note, I'd love to send you all some signed bookplates! They are incredibly beautiful; you can see one here. All you need to do is send me a link or photo to your completely unbiased review of my cookbook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo Books, or wherever, etc. along with your mailing address!

I've been in a little bit of shock for a few days so easy recipes are what I need. My brain is in overload, which means I'm keeping it real with this scrumptious spring-time pasta. I think you'll love it! 

Fettuccine w/ Baked Tofu, Zucchini, & Burst Cherry Tomatoes

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 05/13/2016

A lovely and light spring dish, this meal is heavy on the protein thanks to savory tofu. Sauteed zucchini and burst cherry tomatoes lend their own delicious juices to create a fresh sauce for the fettucine. This pasta is simple, healthy, and quick enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fettuccine pasta, dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ large yellow onion, sliced
• dash of crushed red pepper, to taste
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 oz baked flavored firm tofu, diced (I like Wildwoods Savory)
• 1 tbsp dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil
• 1 cup fresh beet greens, spinach, or baby kale, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• sprinkling of vegan parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook for about 5 minutes (half of the cooking time), then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
2. In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large frying pan. Add the onion and crushed red pepper; saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and tender. Stir in the zucchini and tomatoes and increase the heat to medium; saute an additional 10-15 minutes until the pasta is done cooking and the zucchini is tender, but not over cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the tofu, basil, and greens.
3. Once the pasta is done cooking and has been returned to the pot, stir in the vegetable broth. Cook over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed and the noodles are al dente. Add additional broth or water if the noodles are still undercooked.
4. Stir the vegetable mixture with all its juices into the pasta to combine. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving hot. Garnish with vegan parmesan.

Yield: 6

Yum

Keep your fingers crossed for me the next couple weeks!