Berry Peanut Butter Oatmeal

I love oatmeal.  I eat it almost every day for breakfasts, and some days even manage to eat it twice.  However, plain oatmeal can get a little old when eating it all the time.  To fix this, I've tried adding all different kinds of fruits and other ingredients to make things a little more interesting.  This recipe combines our Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar, peanut butter, and frozen berries to make a fantastic breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:  serves 1
3/4 cup - Old fashioned oatmeal
.5-1 Tbsp - Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp - all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup - frozen berries
6-8 oz - milk or milk substitute

Directions:
1. Combine oatmeal, milk, and peanut butter into a regular bowl.  Place into the microwave and cook for 2:15-2:30. 

2.  Remove from the microwave and stir until evenly mixed.  Add the frozen berries.  These can be mixed in to cool the hot oatmeal down so it can be eaten sooner (great if you are in a rush), or they can just be placed on top.

3.  Drizzle with the Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar.  Eat and enjoy!

Green Bean & Bacon Sweet Potato Pasta

A great side dish for this time of year is sautéed green beans and bacon.  This is also the time when people bust out the yams or sweet potatoes.  It seems like such a straightforward idea to just combine all three into one great dish.

This recipe uses our Pastamore Sweet Potato pasta, but the Pastamore Gluten-free Sweet Potato will work as a perfect substitute.  Olive oil can also be substituted for the bacon fat that is reserved and used if it is a concern.  Whatever combination of ingredients you use, you will be pleasantly surprised with a quick, delicious dish.

Ingredients:    serves 3-4
1 12-oz package - Pastamore Sweet Potato pasta
8 oz - frozen green beans
6 oz - bacon
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Place a large frying pan on the stove over medium-medium/high heat.  Once hot, place half of the bacon into the pan.  Cook to desired crispness.  Place the cooked bacon between paper paper towels.  Reserve 1 Tbsp of the bacon fat.

2.  Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat.  Once the water is boiling, add the Pastamore Sweet Potato pasta.  Cook until the desired tenderness has been reached.  Drain using a colander, and rinse throughly.  Place the pasta back into the pot that it was in over medium heat.

3.  While the pasta is cooking, cook the green beans according to the package instructions.

4.  Chop the bacon into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces.

5.  Add the bacon, bacon fat, and green beans to the pasta.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Mix well, and heat until warm.

Tuna and Noodles

Alright, I get it, canned tuna isn't sexy.  However, it is a quick and convenient way to get more protein into your diet.  You may have had this dish served to you by your mom or grandmother, but our version does it with a little more style.

This recipe makes use of our Pastamore Spinach Basil and Garlic Gluten-Free Linguini and our Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar.  Both of these products really class this dish up, and make for a tasty surprise from such a mediocre dish.  This recipe can also be made with our regular (non gluten-free pasta), but I just happened to have the gluten-free pasta around.

Ingredients:  Serves - 3-4
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Gluten-free Spinach Basil and Garlic Linguini
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar
1 5 oz can - Tuna packed in water
1 Tbsp - Extra virgin olive oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Place a large pot of water (minimum 1 gallon) onto the stove over high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the Pastamore Gluten-free Spinach Basil and Garlic Linguini.  Cook until the desired tenderness has been reached (10-15 minutes).

2.  Drain using a colander.  Rinse throughly with water.  Return the pasta to the pot that it was cooked in.

3.  Add the olive oil and mix until the pasta is evenly coated.  Next, open the can of tuna, drain the water, and add to the pot.  Continue by adding the Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar, salt, and black pepper.  Mix well.

4.  Plate the tuna and noodles and top with cherry tomatoes to add a nice fresh bite to the dish.

Citrus Balsamic Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are often the first foray into fish for those who are afraid to try.  These fish tacos are typically made of an inoffensive white fish (e.g. cod, mahi mahi).  There is nothing wrong with these types of tacos, but they often lack that something extra that makes you want to go back for more.

This recipe uses our Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar and seared, shredded fish to change things up. This gives the fish a nice flavor, and shredding prevents you from biting into a big piece of dry and under-seasoned fish.  This recipe can be topped with your favorite salsa or our great Pastamore Avocado Salsa recipe.  Either way, this is another quick and easy way to get more seafood into your diet.

Ingredients:  serves - 3-4
1 lb - mahi mahi filets
1-1.5 Tbsp - Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar
.5 Tbsp - vegetable or olive oil
1 batch - Pastamore Avocado Salsa
1/8 tsp - red pepper flake
1/4 tsp - dried oregano
To taste - salt and black pepper
Corn tortillas as needed

Directions:
1.  Place a large frying pan on the stove over medium-medium/high heat.  While the pan is heating, place the fish into a mixing bowl and drizzle with the oil.  Add the oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to the bowl and mix until the fish is evenly coated.

2.  Place the fish into the hot pan.  Cook on one side until a nice sear has been reached.  Turn the fish over, and cook until an internal temperature of 145ºF has been reached.  If the fish is becoming too dark but is not done cooking, reduce the heat and continue cooking until the required temperature has been reached.

3.  Remove the fish from the pan and place into a clean mixing bowl.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.  While the fish is resting, heat the tortillas via your favorite method.  Use two forks to shred the cooked fish.  Add the Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar to the bowl and mix until evenly coated.

4.  Place the fish onto the tortilla and top with salsa.  Serve immediately.

Pan-Seared Citrus Mahi Mahi

Now that our Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar is back, it gives me an opportunity to roll out a bunch of recipes that I have had sitting around.  These first few recipes will be like shooting fish in a barrel, as citrus balsamic and seafood go together hand in hand.  The first few recipes will start out pretty easy, and will become more difficult over time.

Searing fish is a quick and easy way to get seafood into your diet.  A little bit of seasoning, a nice piece of fish, and a side dish or two and a delicious, easy meal has been made.  Always remember to not overcook fish as it will be dry and unpleasant to eat.

Ingredients:
4- Mahi mahi filets (1-1.5 lbs)
2 Tbsp - Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp - Vegetable or olive oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Place the mahi mahi onto a large plate or into a large baking dish.  Drizzle the oil over the fish, and then roll the fish around until it is evenly coated in oil.  Season with salt and black pepper.

2.  Place a large fying pan on the stove over medium/medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, place the fish into the pan.  Cook until a nice sear has been reached on the first side and then turn the fish over.  Brush 1/2 tablespoon of Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar on the seared side of the fish filets.  Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145º F and remove from the heat.

3.  Plate the mahi mahi and drizzle with the remaining Pastamore Citrus Balsamic Vinegar.  Serve with asparagus, brocolli, or rice pilaf.

Pastamores October 2013 Recipe of the Month

Kale Pistachio Pesto with Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pasta
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 - 12 oz package - Pastamore Gluten-free Sweet Potato Pasta

8 oz - kale, chopped

4 oz - pistachios

4 Tbsp - Extra virgin olive oil
2 cup - water
4 cloves - garlic
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:

1.  Remove the shell from the pistachios and place them into a food processor.  Mix until chopped into fine pieces.  Add the kale and garlic cloves to the food processor and begin mixing (the kale may need to be added in two parts depending on the size of your food processor).  Slowly add the water into top of the processor as the kale is mixing.  Once all of the water has been added, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil while the processor is mixing.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and place into a small pot on the stove.

2.  Place a large pot of water on the stove over high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the Pastamore Gluten-free Sweet Potato Pasta and cook until al dente.  While the pasta is cooking, place the kale pesto on medium heat, stirring often (if the pesto becomes too thick add more water).

3.  Use a colander to drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly with water.

4.  Plate the Pastamore Gluten-free Sweet Potato Pasta and top with the kale pistachio pesto.