Chickpea and Mushroom Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil
1 red or yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pack of crimini mushrooms, diced
1 cup basmati rice (or any other grain)
vegetable stock
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
3 cups baby spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt, to taste

1/3 cup almonds
1 cup parsley
1/4 teaspoon coriander
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
salt and black pepper
olive oil

coconut yogurt

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add the carrot and cook until crisp tender. Add the spices followed by the mushrooms. When mushrooms are soft, add the rice and stock. Cover and cook until rice is tender. Stir in the chickpeas. Remove from heat and fold in the spinach, and lemon juice. Season with salt as needed.

Combine pesto ingredients in a blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached, adding more oil as needed.

Serve the pilaf with the pesto and yogurt.

Kale Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup walnuts
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
16 ounces penne pasta
2 vegan sausages, sliced
vegan parmesan cheese, to taste

Toss the kale and garlic in the oil and roast until kale is cooked at 375 for 10 minutes. Set aside to slightly cool.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Set aside.

Roast the sausage pieces and set aside.

Transfer kale to a food processor along with the nutritional yeast, stock, walnuts, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper. Pulse until smooth.

Toss the pesto with the pasta and sausage pieces. Sprinkle with the parmesan.

Spaghetti with Spinach and Pea Pesto

Ingredients:

8 ounces spinach (or plain) spaghetti
1 bag baby spinach
1-1/2 cup peas
2 tablespoons vegan parmesan
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Cook the spaghetti in salted water. Strain the pasta, reserving its water, and set aside.

Cook the peas and the spinach in the reserved water and transfer to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Stir the pesto into hot pasta. Garnish with basil and pine nuts.

Dill Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cup dill
1/2 cup parsley
1 large clove garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons vegan parmesan
salt and black pepper, to taste
roasting vegetables (carrots, sweet potato, zucchini, etc)
penne pasta
red pepper flakes

In a food processor, blend oil, dill, parsley, garlic, walnuts, cheese, salt, and pepper.

Toss the vegetables in oil and roast in the oven until golden.

Boil the pasta until al dente.

Toss the pasta with the vegetables and vegetables. Garnish with red pepper flakes.

Pesto and Pea Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

rotini pasta
1-1/2 cup peas
1 package baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
juice of half a lemon
vegan parmesan

Cook the pasta to al dente, adding the peas during the last two minutes, rinse, and set aside.

Meanwhile, pulse the spinach in a food processor until fine. Squeeze liquid out and transfer to bowl along with olive oil, pesto, and lemon. Stir in the pasta and peas. Garnish with the vegan parmesan. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Asparagus

Ingredients:

shell or penne pasta, cooked to al dente
asparagus, roasted in oil, salt, and pepper
pesto sauce
sun dried tomatoes, julienne
vegan mozzarella

Toss pasta with asparagus, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and the vegan mozzarella. Garnish with parmesan if desired.

Double Pesto Twists

Ingredients:

1/2 batch pizza dough
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 tablespoons tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

Divide dough in half and roll out into two rectangles. Spread each with one of the pesto sauces and roll up. Seal the edges. With a sharp knife, cut lengthwise all the way through the rolls. Loosely twist one green half with one red half, open side up, against each other and seal the edges. Cover and allow to rise for about 30 minutes before sprinkling with sesame seeds and baking in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Serve with soup.

Lemon Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

8 ounces penne pasta
2 cups broccoli florets
3 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup pesto sauce
juice of 1 small lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
buffalo mozzarella (optional)

Cook pasta until al dente. Add broccoli during last 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the tomatoes in the oven. Allow to cool and coarsley chop.

Drain pasta and broccoli and return to pan. Add pesto, lemon, basil, and tomatoes.

Garnish with mozzarella.