Vegetable Fusilli with Lemon Ricotta Cream Sauce

A rich variation of pasta primavera, this vegetable pasta features a sweet and tangy ricotta addition to our standard version with vegetables and olive oil. It tastes delicious but comes across heavier (and more caloric) than the standard, so we recommend saving this for a comfort food occasion.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins (can be done simultaneously)
Serves: 2-3.

Ingredients:
Pasta (fusilli or similar), 1 cup per person
1 cup ricotta
2 cups spinach (fresh, cooks down to much smaller)
10-20 cherry/grape tomatoes
1 cup artichokes in brine or grilled/marinated
1 zucchini, chopped into medium pieces
1 yellow squash, chopped into medium pieces
1 lemon
olive oil
garlic to taste (freeze dried or 1-2 cloves fresh and finely chopped)
salt & pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Put pasta into boiling water following instructions on package.
2. Saute zucchini & squash in olive oil on med-high heat until slightly browned (5-7 mins). Add garlic, salt & pepper and brown for 2 more minutes. Remove and place in serving bowl.
3. Add a pinch more olive oil to pan. Wilt spinach in same hot pan. Saute until barely wilted and add to same serving bowl.
4. Drop tomatoes into hot pan, sprinkle salt and saute for 1-2 mins until lightly heated. Add to same serving bowl.
5. Slice artichokes into quarters and add to serving bowl. If artichokes are cold, follow instructions for tomatoes to warm them before putting them in the bowl.
6. Sprinkle juice from 1/4 of the lemon onto veggies and cover.
7. Mix ricotta, lemon from the remaining 3/4 of the lemon, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil. 
8. Drain pasta when finished. In the warm pan, add the ricotta mixture and stir until mixed.
9. Add pasta/ricotta mixture to vegetable serving bowl. Combine until lightly mixed.
10. Serve!

To make our original version of pasta primavera that is delicious, fresh and significantly less caloric, do instructions 1-6 and then add the finished pasta, mix and serve. This is a high veggie content, easy, standard recipe that we eat at least once a week. 

Moroccan Chicken Tagine with preserved lemon and olives

Today's recipe: 
A flavorful, tangy, yet mildly spicy traditional Moroccan dish that is super easy to make and yet impressive in its complexity.

Ingredients:
2 sweet onions, chopped
1 preserved lemon (available jarred at high end groceries, like here).
4 chicken thighs or equivalent (boneless, skinless thighs are easy and tasty)
1 cup olives -> kalamata + castelvetrano or ceringnola
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup water
olive oil for simmering
pepper to taste
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
**note that the preserved lemons and olives are both extremely salty, additional salt is not necessary.

Cooking Instructions:
Prep time: 15 mins
Inactive simmer time: 1-2 hours

1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep-ish pan. 
2. Place chicken and onions in the pan on medium-high heat. 
3. Slice the preserved lemons and add to pan along with olives, spices, and water. 
4. Lower heat to low, cover, and simmer at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 
5. The longer the simmer, the more infused the flavors will be, but be careful to keep heat on low and to check to make sure it isn't getting too dry and that the bottom isn't burning. Add a small amount of water if it gets too dry. 
6. Turn off heat, serve in tagine with couscous

Couscous:

Ingredients:

Couscous (I use israeli pearl couscous from Trader Joe's)

Honey

Dried fruits (raisins, cherries, apricots, etc.)

Ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger to taste

Thin sliced almonds (available packaged at Trader Joe's)

Cooking Instructions:

Follow couscous package instructions + include dried fruits when water is added to couscous.

When almost cooked, add honey, almonds & spices. 

Serve in tagine under lemon chicken tagine.