Pasta with Pesto and Peas

Ingredients

1 box of spaghetti (I like whole wheat pasta, but anything will do)

1 bag frozen peas

1 cup of finely chopped fresh basil

3-4 cloves of chopped garlic

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 cup of pine nuts

Cook spaghetti to instructions (Adding a bit of olive oil to the water may help with it not sticking while cooking). In a microwave safe bowl, add a little while to the peas and microwave for 5 minutes. Once done, allow to cool for a few minutes, or briefly splash with cold water. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse garlic, pine nuts, basil. Add most of the peas to the food processor (leave some for garnish in the pasta). Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing the mixture. Drain pasta and stir in pesto mixure and add in peas. YUM!

I love pesto. I also love my food processor. I must admit- I got married over 2 years ago and was a bit intimidated by it, and left in in a box this whole time! I know, I know...silliness. Well, I got brave in 2010 and now I am in love. It is the best, and SO not scary. To all those ladies who think that it is scary- don't, it'll change your life! Anywho....love pesto and love peas, so this recipe seemed like a no brainer. I originally made the pesto with mint...but I thought it was a bit too minty for my liking, maybe next time I try, I will use less.

Stuffed peppers with couscous, veggies and feta

Ingredients-

2 bell peppers

1/4 c of feta cheese

Couscous - 2 cups (I like the Near East brand - toasted Pine nut is my fav)

1 zucchini
1 yellow squash

approx 3 oz Tomato Paste

Garbanzo Beans (approx 1/4 can)
1/4 c Yellow Raisins (optional)

1/4 c Pine nuts (optional)

dash of oregano

fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the couscous according to package instructions. Core the bell peppers by cutting off the top and pulling out all seeds, I like to keep the tops to "top off" the pepper while cooking, but totally optional. Chop both the zucchini and squash in thin round pieces and then again in half.

Toast the pine nuts until brown (a friend once told me not to eat pine nuts raw b/c you can get pine nut fever! I always toast my nuts now, thanks Jen!)

Once the couscous is done cooking, mix it with the sauteed veggies, garbanzo beans, pine nuts, raisins, tomato paste and a dash of salt and pepper. Fill the peppers with the couscous mixture and pop in the oven for approx 25- 30 minutes until the top is a bit brown.

This recipe was delicious! My husband said that it is the feta that makes the recipe. I have to agree...I did forget the raisins (whoops, I even had them right on the counter!) but that is okay...they would have added a bit of sweetness, which I love, but I will add them next time. The pine nuts (my addition) and the basil flavors really came out. So good! AND...I made a little extra for lunch tomorrow (and dumped the rest of the garbanzo beans in with some raisins). I love recipes that can double as lunch the next day. I have a feeling that this may even be better the next day because the flavors will have time to set. I will let you know! Next day...leftovers were delicious!! Will definitely make again!

Welcome to my Kitchen!

Hi there! Welcome to Veggie Kitchen! I have decided to take my love of cooking and trying new things combined with an obsession with taking pictures of food (all of my friends will atest - all of my vacation pics are the meals that I ate!) and write a blog about it.

I am a vegetarian (technically a pescatarian b/c I do eat fish) married to a carnivore. I am always on the hunt (no pun intended!) for delicious and healthy veggie options to eat that aren't JUST pasta. I will share with you my favorite veggie recipes that I have found and ones that were originally intended for meat that I have turned into vegetarian.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please share!