Artichoke and Lemongrass Sauce over Summer Squash Noodles

One last summer recipe before the start of fall recipes! Since fall doesn’t officially begin until next week, I feel that I’m still within reason to post a recipe with summer squash in it 🙂

Artichoke and Lemongrass Sauce over Summer Squash Noodles

Ingredients:

1 summer squash

1 tbsp ghee

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp lemongrass paste

1 handful of fresh thai basil, chopped (you can use regular basil instead)

1 can artichokes, drained and chopped 

2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup feta cheese

salt and pepper 

Directions:

Use a vegetable spiralizer to make summer squash noodles. Place noodles in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

In a deep skilled, melt ghee over medium-low heat. Add in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in lemongrass paste, basil, and artichokes and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in coconut milk, cheese, noodles, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve.

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Eggplant and Artichoke Lasagna (Noodle-Free)

Well, this is my last few days of summer before student teaching begins. The last of life as I know it.

Hmmm that sounds kinda depressing… but actually I’m really excited to be moving forward in my career goals. Plus, I get to teach science and history all day, which I am totally pumped for!

Unfortunately, this may cut into my ability to make recipes and post as frequently. So please bear with me for the next few months. I promise to post as regularly as possible.

As tradition, I like to make a fancy meal before returning back to school. This time, it’s an eggplant lasagna with some artichokes stuffed inside 🙂

Eggplant and Artichoke Lasagna (Noodle-Free)

Ingredients: 

1 medium-sized eggplant

1 (15oz) container of whole milk ricotta cheese

1 (14oz) can of artichokes, drained and chopped

1 egg

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

1 jar marinara/tomato sauce (or homemade)

1 and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 tbsp dried basil

Directions: 

Cut the eggplant into thin rounds. Place all slices on baking trays and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes to make eggplant “sweat.”

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese, artichokes, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together. In a 9×13 baking dish, pour and spread out a thin layer of marinara sauce.

When eggplant rounds have “sweated,” wipe of excess moisture with paper towels. Use half of the eggplant slices to make the first layer (overlapping is ok!).

Top with half of the ricotta mixture and spread. Top with 3/4 cup mozzarella. Next, add on another layer of marinara sauce, followed by eggplant slices and ricotta. To finish, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper, and dried basil. 

Tightly cover lasagna with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 40 minutes. Afterward, take off foil and continue to bake for 10 more minutes. Let set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (Paleo)

In honor of Father’s Day, I have a recipe my dad asks me to make weekly: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

When I can, I try to prep my meals and snacks on Sunday. Unfortunately, this hummus does not often make it to Monday as my dad tends to eat the whole thing by Sunday night.

No exaggeration, I now divide the dip into 2 containers and stow one in the back of the fridge so he won’t see it. Shhhhhh! 

Now, you can make it traditional by using white beans, but I prefer making it with an artichoke base instead (the hummus tastes the same either way!)

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 (14oz) can of artichokes, drained and squeezed of excess water (or white beans)

3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from jar)

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp tahini 

juice from 1/2 of a lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a food processor until smooth.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Paleo)

In a sad attempt to honor Earth Day (this Wednesday, people!), I am sharing this spinach and artichoke dip. The artichokes are mashed up to form a hummus-like base for this recipe.

Now, if only artichokes were blue! Then we’d have the “blue oceans” and the “green lands.”

See the intentions of my creation now?

No? Ehhh, I’m having trouble too… 😦

But seriously, I cannot think of any naturally blue foods that would give something a blue color (blueberries don’t count either- they bleed violet).

Awww well, a dip is a good dip as long as it tastes good 😉 

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Paleo)

Ingredients: 

2 (14oz each) cans of artichokes, rinsed and squeezed of all excess water

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tbsp avocado oil

6 garlic cloves

1/2 an onion, chopped into small bits

4 cups fresh spinach

1 tsp salt

pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine artichokes and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth-ish.

In a pan, add avocado oil and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add in onion and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add in spinach, cover with a lid, and place on low heat. Cook until spinach has wilted. Transfer pan contents into food processor and pulse (just until spinach is broken up). Add salt and pepper and serve! 

Artichoke and Pesto Chicken Dip (Paleo)

So I have one more summer-like recipe to post (next week will be a fall recipe- I promise!) that is kinda a continuation of last week’s pesto recipe.

Hey- you gotta use the basil while it’s still fresh.

My mom and I devoured this for dinner one night, tossing aside the dippers and simply digging in with forks. With the broccoli, chicken, and artichokes, it easily makes a filling dip as well as dinner! 

Artichoke and Pesto Chicken Dip (Paleo) 

Ingredients: 

1 (14oz) can of artichokes, rinsed and drained, and squeezed of excess water 

My Nut-Free and Paleo Pesto

2 cups, cooked and shredded organic chicken 

Directions: 

In a food processor, combine artichokes and pesto until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in chicken. Serve!