Fall Quinoa Salad

The weather here in New Jersey has been absolutely perfect. Mid-sixties, still warm but not too warm, and bracing for the chunky sweat weather on the horizon. It’s getting me all excited for my favorite fall flavors and recipes which brings me to this delicious throwback - a cozy quinoa salad packed with some of the best fall flavors and a little goat cheese to pull it all together. It’s just so good and the perfect easy meal or side for any day of the week or maybe even a football Sunday or pumpkin carving party!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cubed

• 8 oz cooked quinoa

• 1/2 cup spinach, chopped

• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

• 2 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 2 tbsp dried cranberries

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp EVOO

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Toss the butternut squash with ~ 2 tbsp avocado oil, sea salt, and black pepper and roast at 425 for about 20-25 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, butternut squash, spinach, goat cheese, pepitas, dried cranberries, apple cider vinegar, EVOO, and sea salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Serve and enjoy!

Greek Farro Salad

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. I first whipped it up back in 2017, and it’s just finally making it’s way over to the blog. Better late than never, right? It has all of my favorite Greek flavors, it’s super simple to make, and it’s a great lunch, dinner, or even side. Doesn’t get much better than that!

So without further ado, let’s get to it…

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 2 cups cooked farro

• 1 cup chickpeas

• 2-3 large cucumbers, cubed

• 2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

• 1/2 cup feta crumbles (optional)

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 2 tbsp EVOO

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 1/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Toss the chickpeas with the avocado oil, chili powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 mins.

2. Distribute the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, farro, chickpeas, and feta evenly between 4 bowls.

3. Mix together the EVOO, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper, and drizzle the dressing over the four bowls.

4. Drizzle the tahini over each bowl.

5. Serve and enjoy!

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Toasted Pecans, and Dried Cranberries

This post is sponsored by Alessi Foods, however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder, I am craving all of the fall and winter flavors and getting more and more excited for the upcoming holiday season. And what’s more perfect for the holidays than a delicious roasted brussels sprouts dish? My favorite winter vegetable paired with the seasonal flavors of dried cranberries and toasted pecans and the most delicious Alessi Organic Balsamic Vinegar, does it get any better?

I love Alessi’s fresh, high-quality, and authentically Italian products. Their Organic Balsamic Vinegar and Himalayan Pink Salt and Black Peppercorn Grinders are just a few of my favorites. They also have delicious pastas, sauces, olive oils, and the list goes on and on. You can use the code STACY for 15% off your Alessi Foods order, AND orders over $20 ship free!

So let’s get to that brussels sprouts recipe, shall we?

Here’s What You’ll Need:

-32 oz brussels sprouts
-1/2 cup raw pecans
-1/4 cup dried cranberries
-4 pieces thick cut bacon
-2-3 tbsp Alessi Organic Balsamic Vinegar
-Alessi Himalayan Pink Salt, ground
-Alessi Black Peppercorns, ground
-2 tbsp avocado oil

Instructions:

1. De-stem and halve the brussels sprouts, toss with the avocado oil, Alessi Himalayan Pink Salt and Black Pepper, and spread out on a baking sheet.

2. Cut the bacon into pieces about 1” thick, and mix with the brussels sprouts.

3. Cook the brussels sprouts and bacon in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the brussels sprouts are slightly browned and crispy and the bacon is cooked.

4. In the meantime, toast the pecans in a pan on the stovetop over medium high heat for about 3-5 minutes. You'll start to smell them toasting and want to remove them before they start to burn.

5. Mix the toasted pecans and dried cranberries into the cooked brussels sprouts.

6. Drizzle the mixture with the Alessi Organic Balsamic Vinegar and season with some more Alessi Himalayan Pink Salt and Black Pepper.

7. Serve and enjoy!

Whether you’re whipping this up for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or Christmas, this one is sure to be a crowd pleaser! And if anyone is meat-free, you can easily skip the bacon! Trust me, it’s still delicious. My family is half vegans/vegetarians and half meat eaters, so I like to make half and half. Let me know where you’ll be serving this dish and what you think in the comments below, and don’t forget to use the code STACY for 15% off your Alessi Foods order!

Spring Asparagus and Tomato Penne with Barilla ProteinPLUS

This post is sponsored by Barilla; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.

Spring is finally upon us, and I couldn't be more excited! That means fresh, bright produce and lots of outdoor time, so I decided I needed a recipe that celebrates all of the above! And what screams spring time picnics more than a fresh, veggie-packed pasta salad dish?

I had recently stumbled upon Barilla ProteinPLUS pasta at my local Walmart. It's packed with 17 g of protein (per 3.5 oz portion) from all natural vegetarian ingredients including egg whites, grains, lentils, and chickpeas. It's also a great source of fiber and ALA Omega-3. It seemed like the perfect base for a quick, easy, and delicious meal any day of the week, so I ended up picking up the penne to give it a try. 

I thought it would pair perfectly with some bright spring veggies like asparagus and tomatoes to make a light and fresh pasta (or pasta salad) dish while still being a good source of lean protein. I added in some lemon juice, pine nuts, basil, and a few other ingredients to bring that extra flavor, and it all came together to make a great meal or side that'd be perfect for your next picnic!

Here's What You'll Need:

-One 14.5 oz box Barilla ProteinPLUS Penne
-1 bundle of asparagus (~20 spears)
-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
-Juice of 1/2 lemon
-1/4 cup shredded or shaved parmesan
-1 tbsp EVOO
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper

Serves 4 as a meal or 7 as a side or appetizer

Instructions:

1) Cook the Barilla ProteinPLUS Penne according to the directions on the box.
2) Remove the bottoms from the asparagus, and bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (may also grill or steam until tender instead).
3) Cut the asparagus spears into thirds.
4) Toast the pine nuts on the stove top until they begin to turn golden (about 3- 5 minutes).
5) In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients until well blended. I reserved some of the pine nuts, basil, and parmesan to top it all off, but feel free to mix it all in if desired.
6) Serve warm or refrigerate to serve as a pasta salad, and enjoy!

Barilla Gluten Free pasta was recently named one of Parent's Magazine's "Top 25 Allergy Free Foods" making it a great choice to swap in for the ProteinPLUS penne if allergies are a concern! You can also use this Ibotta link to get some cash back when purchasing your Barilla pasta. Make sure to check out these other delicious Barilla recipes and their Pinterest board for more inspiration! And let me know what you think in the comments below!

Vegan Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

I've recently become obsessed with making my own nut milks, specifically cashew milk, ever since coming across Ellie's Best nut milk bags. For some reason I was under the impression that it would be difficult, but it's SO quick and easy. I just soaked a cup of cashews in water for 2+ hours, strained and rinsed them, and tossed them in the blender with 3 cups filtered water and a pinch of sea salt on high for a minute or two. Filtered it through my nut milk bag, and BAM delicious, creamy, unsweetened cashew milk. You can use the code Stacy10 for 10% off your own Ellie's Best nut milk bag by the way!

So basically I've been going through cashew milk like crazy these days. It's so tasty, and the consistency is nice and creamy. So I thought it would be the perfect ingredient for some creamy, vegan mac and cheese. You guys know I'm veggie crazy, so I decided to add in cauliflower because it would just soak up the taste of the delicious sauce. And I decided to keep it gluten free and protein packed with some Ancient Harvest POW! Green Lentil Penne.

Here's What You'll Need:

-7 oz Ancient Harvest POW! Green Lentil Penne
-1/2 head cauliflower, cut into pieces
-1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk
-1/4 cup nutritional yeast
-2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1 tsp lemon juice
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/4 tsp sea salt + extra
-1/4 tsp black pepper + extra
-1/8 tsp turmeric
-1/8 tsp chili powder (optional)
-2 tbsp avocado oil

Serves 2

Instructions:

1) Toss your cauliflower in the avocado oil with some sea salt and black pepper, and roast it in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until it starts to brown and soften.
2) In the meantime, cook your pasta according to the directions.
3) Strain your pasta, and use the warm, empty pot to mix together the cashew milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, turmeric and chili powder.
4) Once cooked, remove your cauliflower and cut into smaller pieces.
5) Mix the cauliflower and cooked pasta into the sauce, serve, and enjoy!

Not into cauliflower? Feel free to swap it out with the veggie of your choosing! I also topped mine with a bit of red pepper flakes for some extra heat. Let me know how you play around and what you think in the comments below!