Zunchini and Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 cup of short pasta (penne, fussilli or rotelli)

1 Zucchini cut into moons or cubes

10 cherry tomatoes (optional)

1/2 roasted bell pepper (optional)

basil (or pesto)

1/4 cup of cubed mozzarella

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Cook the pasta al dente. In a pan cook the zucchini in olive oil until it turns golden on the edges. In a bowl combine pasta, mozzarella, cooked zucchini, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and season with more olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.

Minty Green Pea Soup

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen green peas

1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock

1 tbsp of mint

Parmesan (optional)

Mix froxen peas with broth in a bowl. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add chopped mint and use food blender to process into a smooth consistency. Serve with grated parmesan on top.

Eggplant Napoleons

Ingredients

2 large ripe tomatoes

1 eggplant cut into rounds

6 round slices of mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp of pesto

basil leaves (optional)

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Cook the eggplant rounds in a pan with olive oil until they are soft and start to have a golden color on the edges Put some pesto (or basil) over the pieces of cheese and build the napoleons by alternating pieces of tomato, mozzarella and eggplant. This can be eaten cold with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Or you can cook it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minute if you want the cheese to melt. 

White Chili with Roasted Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

2 poblano peppers

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

2 teaspoons of oregano

1 tbsp of cilantro

2 tbsp of pepitas (green pumpkin seeds roasted, optional)

1 cup of cooked white beans (canellini or navy)

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 pound of ground turkey

(optional if you want to make it vegetarian)

2 spoons of goat or cotija cheese (optional)

Canola oil. 

Cut the onion in rings and fry in oil until golden add a little more oil and cook the ground turkey for 5 minutes. Mix in the garlic an cook for one more minute. 

Poblanos have a very distinct flavor, that is perfect for this chili,  but you can substitute with regular green peppers. Roast the peppers on the stove or broiler. Remove the dark skin and cut into strips. Add the poblanos to the onion mix and season with oregano.

Mix the poblanos with the onion mixture, add the broth and the white beans. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Mix in the goat cheese and the pepitas (optional) Add more broth or mash some of the beans for the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the white chili with cilantro and brow rice.