Farfalle with Beets and Parsley Pesto

I don't think I would have ever made this recipe if I hadn't first watched someone else make it.  Strangely enough my television program of choice while at the gym is the Food Network. We don't have cable so it seems like quite the treat (no pun intended, I just can't think of another phrase) to watch people create amazing food.  And it reminds me why I work out.  So that I can eat more.

We had this for dinner and everyone loved it.  I am posting the link to her recipe.  The only changes I made included reducing the amount of olive oil in the pesto to 1/4 cup, and using flat leaf instead of curly parsley.  You can make this in steps too, so you could make the beets and vinaigrette in the morning and keep in your fridge and just reheat it before adding it to the pasta and parsley pesto.

I didn't add my beet greens because they looked sad and smelled like a wet dog.  I'm going to add arugula tomorrow when we have this for lunch, but it is good with just the pasta, beets and pesto.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/farfalle-pasta-with-beet-vinaigrette-and-parsley-pesto-recipe/index.html

Black Bean & Orange Hummus

This is awesome.  Even better served warm with some grated cheese on top.  We ate it for lunch with pita chips and sliced turnips and radishes.  The recipe is from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan.

2 1/2 c cooked black beans
1/3 c freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 tsp almond butter
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 T olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 c fresh parsley
1 tsp orange zest
fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  That's it.

Go buy this book.

I am usually not a fan of Williams-Sonoma Cookbooks, and not for any good reason, I'm just not drawn to them.  But this book may have converted me.  Go buy it now.  It just might change your life.

Soup of the Day:  365 recipes for every day of the year

I have made about 6 soups so far and each has been an astounding success.  They are easy to adapt to suit what you have on hand or your personal tastes and preferences.  I can open my fridge and cupboard at any given time and find ingredients to make at least one of the recipes in this book.  It is divided by months and the recipes are seasonally driven which makes it even better.  I'm not going to post the recipes because you really just need to go buy the book.  Now.

Coconut Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

This is a work in progress.  But the first attempt was delicious, and Connor asked tonight if we were going to have more of that 'ummy cake'.  I'll write down the recipe as I made it, but I do plan on making some changes.  I baked my cake in a 9 or 10-inch (I didn't measure it yet) fluted tart pan that was about 2-inches deep.

Topping:
3 stalks rhubarb, sliced in half lengthwise and then thinly chopped
4 T butter, sliced thinly
3/4 c brown sugar, packed (I think this can be reduced to 1/2 cup)

Cake:
1 c sugar (I think this can be reduced to 3/4 cup)
4 T butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (might cut down to 1 tsp, maybe add coconut extract?)
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice (I used this just because I had it, and it was really good, but you could just as easily use cardamom, or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg)
1/2 c coconut (I used sweetened because it was all I had on hand)
1/2 c coconut milk

Spray your pan with cooking spray. Place the sliced butter around the pan and then cover with brown sugar.  Top with the sliced rhubarb. 

***The next time I make this I want to add coconut to the topping.  I also might try caramelizing the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and then pouring into the cake pan.

Combine the melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt and spice and stir to combine.  Scrape down sides of the bowl and stir in coconut milk.  Fold in shredded coconut.  Spread over rhubarb

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 55 minutes, until cake is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.  Let cool and then invert onto a serving platter.  Good warm, but even better once it has cooled completely and chilled in the fridge.  It would be great warm with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Revised recipe to come.