Pesto Tuna Pasta

I've been trying to cook more fish lately, because of its many benefits, and as a non-red-meat source of protein. I always keep a couple of cans of tuna on hand (wild skipjack, a.k.a "chunk light," from Wild Planet, one of several companies that have gone BPA-free), so this recipe was just something I threw together one night for dinner when I hadn't been to the store in too long. It was so tasty and easy, it's become a staple.

I use whole wheat pasta, of course, and I've tried it with penne as well as spaghetti. It works well either way. I've been growing rainbow chard in our backyard, so I always have a handfull or two of that to throw in, and when we get green onions from our CSA, I save the solid white parts at the bottom and replant them. They regenerate the green parts, so you can use them indefinitely. Sometimes I use kale in addition to chard, and I've also just thrown in broccoli, summer squash, frozen peas or whatever I have on hand. It's tasty, filling, and healthy. To make it vegetarian, leave out the tuna or sub in some seitan, and leave off the cheese for a vegan option.

8 oz. whole wheat pasta
1 5 oz. can skipjack/chunk light tuna, drained (lower mercury than albacore/solid white)
2 cups rainbow chard, stems and leaves, rinsed and chopped*
3-6 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp italian seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or turmeric
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup pesto, store-bought or make your own
parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

*Finely chop the stems of the chard-- don't throw them out! They add color and sweetness.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chard stems, and saute for one minute. Flake the tuna into the pan, and add the green onions and the rainbow chard leaves. Season with the spices and saute, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted but are still bright in color.
3. Stir the chard mixture into the pasta. Add the pesto and toss. Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Serves two.

Om nom nom.

Squash, Kale, and Potatoes

I don't remember where I found this recipe, but when prepping for grocery-buying this week, I came across it in my increasingly growing "Cooking" bookmarks folder. I already had kale and some little red potatoes, so I grabbed a kabocha squash (they didn't have any delicata, which is what the recipe calls for) and some green onions (no leeks, either-- sad day) and got started. I also subbed in green cabbage for radicchio because I had some in the fridge I needed to use, but I'm leaving the radicchio in the recipe for next time.

Despite my situational substitutions, this dish is still nutrient-packed, and I'm definitely going to make it again. It was also fairly low-maintenance, other than the squash-slicing, since it's all oven-roasting. It's also pretty versatile, apparently, since the modifications I ended up making still produced a tasty dish.

1 lb winter squash, sliced in half and seeded
1 lb small potatoes (such as fingerling or red bliss), washed
1 cup kale, washed and chopped into 1" ribbons
1 cup radicchio, washed and chopped into 1" ribbons
1 medium leek, halved and chopped into half moons (can sub. green onions)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, washed and chopped
sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cut the squash into 1/2" slices and arrange in a large baking dish. I left the skin on mine, but some varieties do not allow for that.

3. Cut the potatoes into quarters or eighths (depending on the size), leaving the skin on. Toss the leek, garlic, and potatoes in with the squash with 2 tbsp olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork tender and the squash has begun to brown.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and rosemary.
6. When the squash and potatoes are done, remove the baking pan from the oven and add the kale and radicchio into the pan with the roasted veggies.
8. Drizzle with the dressing and toss thoroughly.
9. Let stand for 10 minutes. This allows the greens to wilt in the heat from the pan.
10. Taste and adjust the seasoning/add more vinaigrette as necessary.

Serves three to four.

It's all about the kale.