Homemade Pasta with Sausage, White Bean & Roasted Tomato Sauce

I was given a hand crank pasta machine recently by a good friend of mine and I absolutely adore making homemade pasta with my family. We do it the old school way by making a flour well on the counter and cracking the eggs into it and then rolling out small pieces that get hand cranked through our machine 7 times each, till they are almost see through.

It's so exciting and satisfying to make dough and every time I do it the result is always different and we learn something new. The dough can be too sticky and not want to crank through the machine, or it can be too soft, or too tough but never fear because it's also very forgiving and any mistakes can be corrected quite easily. We like to make a whole afternoon of pasta from scratch, my daughter loves helping and it's incredibly fun, like playing with playdough!

I don't consider myself a, follow the recipe kind of girl but there are some basic rules one must follow when making pasta dough. My rules are: 1. always make a bigger batch then you think you need because there is almost always never enough, 2. make your dough a little drier than the recipe calls for, it helps "virgin" pasta makers to get it through a machine so much easier without stress or tears, 3. use semolina in your pasta dough, it makes for a textured final product that just loves to grab the sauce, 4. Have fun with it, it's dough and it's not going to bite! My dough recipe is pretty basic, we haven't played around with it at all, but I assure you that will happen at some point. If you don't have a pasta machine, don't worry you can still make homemade pasta at home, you will just have to do a little more work but it's so worth it!

Now let's talk sauce! My favorite sauce for a homemade pasta is one that is fresh and light. My local co-op had bags and bags of hydroponic, locally grown tomatoes going bad that were discounted and I bought them all up. I decided to roast them with herbs and olive oil which intensifies their flavor. Winter tomatoes are not exactly at their peak so roasting is definitely the way to go when they aren't in season. I then made these deep, intensely flavored tomatoes into a sauce with local sausage, white beans, white wine and a whole mess of mixed greens. The result was a light tomato sauce that was chunky and satisfying. It coated every strand of tender pasta making for absolute perfection!

Ingredients

Pasta

2 Cups unbleached, organic, all purpose flour, more for work surface.

1 Cup semolina flour

4 Organic, farm raised eggs

Sauce

7 or 8 Large, organic tomatoes, any kind will work.

Olive oil, for roasting tomatoes.

2 Fresh sprigs organic oregano, leaves only, chopped.

4 Fresh sprigs organic thyme, leaves only, chopped.

4 Pasture raised sausage links, casings removed, I used 5 knives sweet Italian from Vermont Smoke & Cure, click the link to see their other products and pasture raised piggies! 

1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Large onion, diced.

6 Organic cloves of garlic, minced or grated.

1 Tbsp organic, dry basil

1 Tbsp organic, dry oregano

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 Cup dry white wine, I used a dry riesling but any dry white wine will work.

4 Cups organic, mixed greens, I used Olivia's Organics.

1 Cup white beans, I used Divina giant white beans in vinaigrette, but regular cannellini beans are fine.

1 Tbsp fair trade, organic, raw cane sugar

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.

Directions

Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut tomatoes in half and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft and caramelized. Set aside.

Pasta

On a clean work surface make a mound with the flours. Make a well and crack 3 of the eggs into the well. With a fork mix eggs up and slowly work the flour into the eggs, pulling from the well walls a little at a time till you start to get crumbles of dough, with your hands work the flour and eggs into a ball of dough, if your

mixture is too dry add the 4th egg and work it in. Flour your board and knead the dough till you are satisfied with the consistency and it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. If your dough seems sticky add flour while you are working and kneading it. Form a ball and cut your dough into 6 pieces.

Take a piece of dough and roll it out slightly, if you have a hand crank or electric pasta machine follow manufacturers instructions for rolling out your strips of pasta. Once you have a thin sheet cut into your favorite shape, I did a fettuccine size because it grabs the sauce well. If you do not have a pasta machine roll the dough out as thin as you can and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Sprinkle pasta with flour and lay on a cookie sheet to dry while finishing the other pieces. Repeat this process with the remaining 5 pieces. 

Bring water to boil in a large pot, salt water and add pasta. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, fresh pasta does not need long. Drain and drizzle with olive oil, set aside.

Sauce

While waiting for your pasta to cook in a large sauce pan over medium high heat brown sausage in olive oil for 5 minutes. Remove, lower heat and add in onions, garlic, salt and pepper and saute till soft, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to let them brown. Add in dried oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and white wine and cook till the wine has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add sausage back in and greens and continue cooking till the greens have wilted into the sauce. Add in white beans, sugar and taste for salt and pepper, season to taste.  Cook for 6 minutes to meld flavors, add in pasta and remove from heat.

Place in a large serving dish and mix well to coat pasta with sauce. Serve with parmesan or pecorino romano cheese grated over top!

Buon appetito!

Berry Cleansing Smoothie

I really love starting my day off with something refreshing...and this smoothie is certainly that!  It's filled with berries, wild greens and a few secret ingredients, for health!  Don't worry this doesn't mean that it tastes "healthy," my two year old thought it tasted like a milkshake and drank up a whole cup, if that isn't an indicator of taste, I don't know what is!  This smoothie is so easy to whip up and can be personalized to fit tastes or make use of what you have on hand.  I chose blueberries, blackberries and strawberries for their super antioxidant properties; the darker the berry the more antioxidants it has. Let's talk about smoothie "mechanics."  When making a smoothie I want a thick, smooth consistency that is satisfying and filling.  But I don't want to use ice because, one: I hate brain freeze and, two: I don't want to water down the flavor of my smoothie.  So the way that I achieve this, without using ice, is by adding in frozen fruits, always adding in a banana for bulk and adding in some yogurt for that rich creamy feel.  Some other things you can add for creaminess are: avocados, silken tofu or even frozen yogurt.  I know they sound weird but give them a try I guarantee you will not even know they are there, taste wise but you will def notice a silky texture. It will make you feel like you are drinking dessert!  These, creamy add-ins are all things I always have on hand, so that way making a smoothie is always super easy and super convenient. I always eat healthier when it's not a hassle.

I like to add in different kinds of greens to my smoothies as well.  A handful of spinach, kale or even a wild green like dandelion, bumps up the amount of vegetables and nutrient rich foods you are eating in a day and, again, you won't even notice it's there. I chose dandelion greens for this smoothie because it's a cleansing green that cleans your liver and blood, helping them both to function better.  It can be found more readily during the spring months at most farmer's markets and sometimes even your grocery store.  You can also pick them right out of your backyard, yep it's totally the same yellow flower that grows rampant on your lawn!  If it's unavailable, kale or spinach are great substitutes.  For more information on the health benefits of dandelion greens in smoothies please visit: http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/green-smoothies/10-reasons-you-should-use-dandelion-greens-in-your-green-smoothie.

I also love to add other healthy things to my smoothies that don't necessarily have anything to do with the flavor but add other benefits. These add ins include:

• chia seeds, http://www.bobsredmill.com/chia-seed.html
• Flax seeds ground or flax oil, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81
• Raw oats, http://www.livestrong.com/article/412378-is-eating-uncooked-oatmeal-healthy
• A handful of raw nuts, they contain healthy fat that helps keep you full, http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/smoothie-basics/healthy-fats-for-smoothies-nuts-and-seeds

I included links above to give you more information on each item so you can make informed decisions about what to add to your smoothies.  Each supplement adds different things so feel free to add all, or even feel free to add none, you are still getting a very healthy breakfast smoothie either way!

This recipe makes 3 servings.  Note: all the fruits I used (except the strawberries) were frozen but feel free to use a combo of frozen and fresh depending on what is in season, just note that at least one of your fruits needs to be frozen to make a cold smoothie and get the proper consistency.

Ingredients

2 Whole, frozen bananas, peeled and broken into chunks*

1/2 Cup fresh, organic strawberries, hulled and chopped.

1/2 Cup frozen, organic blueberries

1/2 Cup frozen, organic blackberries

1/2 Cup vanilla almond milk, I use Silk.

2 Tbsp low-fat, organic strawberry yogurt, I used Stonyfield.

2 Tbsp local honey

1 Handful wild dandelion greens or organic store bought ones.

2 tsp flax seed oil


Directions

Starting with the liquids first place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth.

Serve in your favorite glass and enjoy a cup of health!

*Are your bananas going bad, here's a tip: peel them and then freeze them whole in a plastic bag or reusable container, they make great additions to smoothies or baked goods and keep forever this way!


"May the force be with you"
-Star Wars

Don't forget to leave me a comment below if you like or love this recipe!

Steakhouse At Home

Grilled NY Strip with Horseradish Sauce, "Fully Loaded" Baked Potato & Oven Roasted Spring Asparagus

I love steakhouse meals but I don't always want to pay steakhouse prices, plus sometimes I don't want to worry about making reservations or getting a babysitter lined up. The good news is, most meals with the right ingredients are simple to make at home.  I love to take restaurant meals and personalize them, making them healthier! It makes dinner feel special, while saving you a ton of money and calories! For the price of one plate at a restaurant you can make a whole meal; with leftovers. P.S. the leftovers from this meal make a great spring frittata, recipe coming soon! But let us not deviate from what is important, Steak!

Let's talk steak!  First let's talk about pasture raised beef.  Its higher in omega-3's, vitamins A & E and much, much lower in fat and cholesterol than the feed lot or commercial raised cattle.  Because the pasture raised beef has less fat, you need to be very careful when cooking it. It cooks much faster and is less forgiving if you over cook it. Second, my favorite cut of steak is a NY strip, hands down! It's thick, juicy and has more marbling that a filet, which I happen to prefer. Fat equals flavor and I feel that a strip has enough fat to be tasty but not too much to make it an unhealthy cut.  The other way to keep yourself out of trouble, health wise, is to only eat half a steak.  My husband and I always share one and fill the rest of our place with veggies making us full and satisfied without feeling like you need a nap.

Now let's talk sides. I cannot have steak without a potato and I am partial to oven baked potatoes that are stuffed with whatever your heart desires!  I worked as a waitress in a steakhouse in SC and they always served dinosaur egg size baked potatoes with about 5 or 6 different toppings to chose from, and having all of them meant it was "fully loaded," Oh yeah! I like to recreate this little gem at home but I keep it healthy by cutting the size to more of a ostrich egg size potato and I always use local and all natural dairy toppings.  I always like to make one naughty side dish when making a restaurant inspired meal at home (I mean it does need to be a little naughty if its going to mimic your favorite restaurant accurately).  Then I like to make one very healthy side, for this meal I chose spring asparagus, my local grocery store had this year's first asparagus from a local farm; what's not to love? In season, local, just picked and incredibly cheap! Oven roasted asparagus it is!

The first asparagus of the season is sweet, tender and completely sublime!

That is the best way to shop, in my opinion. I always go and look at what is in season, on sale and looks the best.  Why buy inferior produce just because a recipe calls for it, be open to changing it up.  It's healthier, cheaper and much more delicious.  For example, I normally use chives when topping potatoes but the organic scallions at my grocery store were gorgeous and on sale, so I went with those:

Slightly sharp scallions give that onion kick you need when looking for a
raw onion flavor that doesn't overpower.

The other thing I take into consideration when making sides for a steak is whether the side is easy and low-key because I like to focus all of my attention on cooking the perfect steak, and I don't want to be babysitting a side dish, after all, it is all about the steak!  Both of my sides can cook in the same oven, on the same temperature and need no babysitting!

This meal is for two but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

Steak

1 Pasture raised NY strip, 1lb.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to season the outside of the steak.

Olive oil, for pan


Sauce

2 Tbsp pasture raised, organic sour cream

2 Tbsp prepared horseradish

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.


Potatoes

2 Medium, organic, russet potatoes

1 Tbsp pasture raised,organic sour cream

1/2 Tbsp pasture raised, organic butter or butter substitute, I used Earth's Balance.

2 Tbsp of a sharp, strong cheese, I used an aged, rosemary manchego (the stronger the cheese the less of it you need to feel satisfied).

3 Organic scallions, finely chopped.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste.


Asparagus

1 bunch young, spring asparagus

2 Tbsp olive oil

1Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Take out your steak to rest and come to room temperature. This allows you to get the correct, crusty sear without overcooking your steak.

Wash potatoes and place in a baking dish.  Bake for 1 hour or until tender, meaning a butter knife can easily go all the way through.

In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile, snap one asparagus till it breaks naturally. Cut all other asparagus to that same length.  Asparagus naturally break where the stem is tough and you are left with the tender, edible part.  Discard the tough parts, or save for stock.  Place asparagus on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and fresh ground pepper, toss to coat.  When potatoes have 15 minutes left, put the asparagus in the oven and finish with the potato's cooking time.

When you put your asparagus in the oven, preheat a grill pan, or cast iron pan on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper your steak on all sides, liberally.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in your pan and sear the steak on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes a side for medium rare.  Take out of the pan and set on a cutting board cover with foil and let rest.

When your potatoes are done, take out of the oven and cut a slit down the middle, squeeze the sides exposing the flesh of the potato, fill this with all of your toppings except the scallions.  I like to layer it: butter, sour cream and then cheese.  Place back on the baking pan and bake in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes till the cheese has melted.  Place on top of a bed of the asparagus and top with the scallions and fresh ground pepper.

Cut the steak in half and serve with small amount of horseradish sauce on the side and the potato and asparagus. Enjoy and remember to tip!

Medium rare is all we serve in our house, but feel free to cook it more or less
to suit your family's tastes!

Did you know that it's perfectly acceptable, even in a restaurant, to pick up asparagus spears, without sauce and eat them with your hands?  How fun!!