italian pearl pasta with cauliflower and mushrooms

This is a yummy side dish I came up with the other night to accompany grilled lamb chops.

1/8 pound pearl shaped pasta
1 shallot, chopped
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
10 small brown mushrooms, sliced
olive oil, for sauteing
1 tbsp butter
sea salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp grated parmesan

Boil a small saucepan of water and add pasta and 1 tsp of salt, cook until soft (this pasta is not good al dente), drain and set aside. While pasta cooks saute shallots and mushrooms in olive oil until browned, salt mushrooms and set aside. In a pan large enough to fit cauliflower so all the florets are touching the bottom of the pan, add butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. When butter begins to sizzle add cauliflower and cook until it browns on one side. Then add about 1/4 inch of water and put a lid on the pan. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, uncover and cook until water evaporates. Add pasta, mushrooms and parmesan cheese to the cauliflower and toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2-4 people as a side dish.

chocolate chip cookies

This is a great crispy chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's really simple and has few ingredients. I adapted it from a recipe for candied ginger cookies in Food and Wine magazine. Sometimes crispy chocolate chip cookies are also really greasy, not so with these.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4.5 ounces chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla and blend to combine. Beat in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment and shape into a log. Wrap in the parchment and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2 inch rounds and bake on cookie sheet with silpat or parchment liner. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until golden.

cashew coconut bread

This is my favorite breakfast bread. It tastes great toasted with butter. Full of protein and made without flour, so it's wheat and gluton free. Perfect for those on a gluten free diet or those of you like me who are just trying to cut down on white flour products. It also makes a great french toast.

Here is the recipe. Adapted from the Cashew Bread recipe in the book "Eat Well, Feel Well" by Kendall Conrad.
http://www.eatwellfeelwellthebook.com/

6 large eggs, separated
1 tsp salt
5 cups whole raw unsalted cashews
1 cup coconut "flour" (I used bob's mill brand)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups whole milk plain yogurt, or lowfat if you prefer
1 cup water
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Line two 4 1/2 "x10" loaf pans or three smaller loaf pans with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs whites with the salt, using an electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Using a food processor, grind the cashews, coconut flour and baking soda just until a paste starts to form on the sides. With a fork blend the yogurt, egg yolks, water, agave syrup and vinegar. Add to ingredients in the food processor until mixed through. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the egg whites using a metal spoon until you no longer see clumps of egg white, try not to overmix. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 1hr-1hr 20min. or until the top feels set to the touch and the bread looks browned. Cool in pans on a rack.
The loaves will keep in the refrigerator for a week or 10 days and up to 2 months in the freezer. I usually give away a loaf or freeze one as soon as it cools and put the other one in the fridge. To defrost just place in refigerator overnight.