ROASTED CAULIFLOWER + KALE PASTA

I had a crop of pregnant friends this season and I wanted to post this pasta dish here because I think casserole-type foods are such an easy food to deliver or serve to friends (or make and freeze should you be the sort of person that preps ahead like that).

You guys ask all the time what sort of meals I deliver or make-ahead and most of those are now living over on SK Cooking Club. Disclaimer, not all vegetarian. Some of the favorites there are a Turkey Bolognese, Butternut Turkey Chili, Carrot Ginger Soup, Olive Bar Sheetpan Dinner, Jeweled Farro Salad to name a few. We have a Veggie Chili coming up soon that will also be perfect to add to this list and a Cauliflower Tikka Masala that is delicious!

I baked this before giving it to my friends because, well, we needed to take a photo, but I would assemble it all and cover it in foil before delivering, then let them do that final bake so it doesn’t dry out. Deliver it along with a super simple, light, green salad and a bottle of wine. And probably chocolate too.

I made notes below on dietary swaps. I personally can’t eat cow’s milk dairy products (and eggs now too, quite annoying), and if you’re the same, you could use either a nut-based ricotta or find a sheep’s milk ricotta at well-stocked markets or Whole Foods. You may want to use less, as they tend to be stronger in flavor and often times richer. Like I said, more notes below.

I hope your New Year has started off well. It feels like flus and colds are all around, so I’m wishing you wellness and I’ll post a soup recipe here soon. Take good care!

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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER + KALE PASTA

Serves 6

I am going to add substitution notes here as we do with Cooking Club in case this helps anyone. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions! There are two kinds of kale here because it cooks down and I like my pasta dishes heavy on the vegetables. You can skip the baby kale if this sounds like too much…even though it’s not. Anchovies are so good here and they basically dissolve in the roasting step so you don’t know they’re there, but you could use a sprinkle of capers if they creep you out. Add them in the last 10 minutes of roasting

Recipe Tips

Dairy Free: Kite Hill does make a dairy-free ricotta which would totally work here. Laura of The First Mess has a vegan pine nut parm that would be great sprinkled on top!

Gluten Free: Use a brown rice based pasta. We also use chickpea or lentil pastas, but they don’t sit well with a lot of liquid, so only use those if you’re planning to eat it right away.

Carnivore Option: If you are looking to add animal protein, the frozen mini meatballs can be stirred into the whole situation.

Prep Ahead: Roast the cauliflower and kale, and cook your pasta in advance.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (about 1.5 lbs)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp. sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp. everything bagel seasoning (or any all-purpose type seasoning)
2 anchovy filets, optional, but promise you won’t know they’re there

1 large head lacinato kale, ribbed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated

12 oz. (3/4 lb.) rigatoni pasta (or GF pasta)
two handfuls of baby kale (I know, double kale!)

12 oz. ricotta
one large lemon, zest and juice, divided
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cream
1 egg
4 oz./1 cup fontina, grated
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
red pepper flakes

fresh parsley or basil or thyme or a mix, to finish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425’. Break the cauli into florets onto a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, salt, pepper, bagel seasoning and toss everything to coat. You’ll want to use your clean hands here, and rub everything into the cauli. Put the anchovies on the tray, and roast everything for 35 minutes. The anchovy will dissolve, don’t worry, you won’t know it’s there. If you’re super freaked, use 2 Tbsp. capers. Pull the pan, add the kale, garlic and toss everything around so some oil coats the kale. Pop it back in the oven for 10 minutes for the kale to wilt a bit (if you’re using capers instead of anchovies, add them here). Pull and set aside. This can be done in advance and stored in the fridge.

While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta accordingly to al dente instructions - about 11 minutes. In another large mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper, cream, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan and half of the fontina. Whisk everything well to combine. Drain the pasta, reserve a bit of pasta water, and add the noodles to the cheese bowl. Stir to mix. Add the cauli and kale, plus the handfuls of baby kale, to the bowl and stir again. Add a generous splash of pasta water, one more stir.

Leave the heat on 425’. Grease a 2 qt. baking dish or 10-12” cast iron pan. Tip the pasta mixture in. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle the remaining fontina and parm and some red pepper flakes on top. Loosely cover the dish with foil. Bake, covered, for 10 minutes, turn the heat up to 475’, uncover the dish, sprinkle the walnuts if using, and bake another 10ish minutes until the top is just bronzed and bubbly. Remove to cool slightly and sprinkle heaps of fresh herbs over the top.

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Sara Forte 2020-01-21

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Pasta

6

A simple and delicious pasta bake with cauliflower and kale, great for delivering to friends or freezing for later.

• 1 head cauliflower (about 1.5 lbs)
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. sea salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp. everything bagel seasoning (or any all-purpose type seasoning)
• 2 anchovy filets, optional, but promise you won’t know they’re there
• 1 large head lacinato kale, ribbed and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 12 oz. (3/4 lb.) rigatoni pasta
• two handfuls of baby kale (I know, double kale!)
• 12 oz. ricotta
• one large lemon, zest and juice, divided
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 egg
• 4 oz./1 cup fontina, grated
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• red pepper flakes
• fresh parsley or basil or thyme or a mix, to finish

632 calories 36 grams fat 0 grams transFat 53 grams carbohydrate 5 grams sugar 5 grams fiber 27 grams protein

Preheat the oven to 425’. Break the cauli into florets onto a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, salt, pepper, bagel seasoning and toss everything to coat. You’ll want to use your clean hands here, and rub everything into the cauli. Put the anchovies on the tray, and roast everything for 35 minutes. The anchovy will dissolve, don’t worry, you won’t know it’s there. If you’re super freaked, use 2 Tbsp. capers. Pull the pan, add the kale, garlic and toss everything around so some oil coats the kale. Pop it back in the oven for 10 minutes for the kale to wilt a bit. Pull and set aside. This can be done in advance and stored in the fridge.

While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta accordingly to al dente instructions - about 11 minutes. In another large mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper, cream, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan and half of the fontina. Whisk everything well to combine. Drain the pasta and add it to the cheese bowl. Stir to mix. Add the cauli and kale, plus the handfuls of baby kale, to the bowl and stir again.

Leave the heat on 425’. Grease a 2 qt. baking dish or 10-12” cast iron pan. Tip the pasta mixture in. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle the remaining fontina and parm and some red pepper flakes on top. Loosely cover the dish with foil. Bake, covered, for 10 minutes, turn the heat up to 475’, uncover the dish, sprinkle the walnuts if using, and bake another 10ish minutes until the top is just bronzed and bubbly. Remove to cool slightly and sprinkle heaps of fresh herbs over the top.

PT20M

PT35M

PT55M

italian

Entrée

vegetarian, pasta, freezer meal, meal prep

HONEY FUDGE

They are four and a half and almost three. My babies are potty trained, can buckle their own car seats, and clear their plates from the table. The crib will be passed to a friend next month and I’ve been donating the toys that seem, well, baby-ish. We finally went on a family vacation last month, where we all slept in one room and it was great - no one needed to sleep in the bathroom and the equipment we had to schlep along was minor. While still not easy (is it ever?), I feel like we’ve crossed some sort of parenthood threshold where I can breathe a little easier. The exhaustion scale is tipping more towards mental than completely physical as they become more little people and less baby.

I think I’ve mentioned before that Curran (4.5) is pretty emotional. High highs and low lows. Cries easily, loudly, and feels his 4-year old feels deeply. He LOVES to eat. Is not a toucher/cuddler. Thrives off quality time. A collector of gadgets and junk. He hoards his treasures in various bags, backpacks and cases, and takes them around with him everywhere… a little seasonly obsessive, like his father and my sister. Right now we’re in a police man season, so lots of walkie talkies, badges, the jacket, etc. Cleo adores him, but mark my words Curran will be the one keeping her out of trouble in high school.

She likes to pester him and scream at the top of her lungs if he tries to give her a dose of her own medicine. She LOVES cuddles and touches and passes out “I love you’s” generously. She has a will of steel. She insists on dressing herself in the clothes I like least in her closet and no matter the question, the answer is always “pink!” She has my favorite intonations and facial expressions. She is a charmer and a little bit crazy.

Both kids have beautiful blue eyes, are tall for their ages, are quirky, and look like each other, while not a spitting image of either parent. How wild it is to get to know them - to observe what makes them tick or make their eyes light up. These things are equally magical and incredibly frustrating, all in the scope of a day. I somehow feel surprised that we’re in a new phase. So much of the past few years has been head down survival, but gradually, I feel I can stop and SEE them now, instead of just keep everyone fed and alive. Does that make any sense? Obviously I’ve always been “aware” of them, but now, more so them as the people they are becoming. Anyway. It feels really special. Parenthood is pretty wild, in so many more ways than just being tired, like everyone tells you you’ll be. I feel extremely lucky to be their mom.

Chocolate Honey Fudge

This honey fudge was from the first week of Sprouted Kitchen Cooking Club and it was a raging success (shameless plug that I still think you should join because it’s been so neat to cook dinner along side people and share ideas). It is not often you can please all the dairy free, gluten free, egg free, honey eating vegans, and vegetarians all at once, but we’re working on it! Cheers, us.

As this may be the most favorited recipe I’ve ever written, I figured it needed to live here too.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

2 ounces dark chocolate, well chopped
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/3 cup cocoa powder (natural or dutch) or raw cacao, plus more for dusting
pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup honey plus 1 Tbsp. 
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup crisp rice cereal

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate along the bottom of the pan. 

In a food processor or a strong blender, combine the almonds, cocoa powder and sea salt. Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse sand, about 10 times. You want some crunchy bits of almonds. 

In a saucepan, combine the honey and coconut oil and bring it to a gentle boil. Stir to mix. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Add the almond mixture and the rice cereal into the wet mixture and stir to combine. Any extra add-ins would go in here. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, smooth the top and put it in the fridge to cool for at least an hour. 

Sara Forte 2018-11-05

Chocolate Honey Fudge

12

A gluten free, dairy free chocolate treat.

• 2 ounces dark chocolate, well chopped
• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (natural or dutch) or raw cacao, plus more for dusting
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/3 cup honey plus 1 Tbsp.
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup crisp rice cereal

145 calories10 grams fat15 grams carbohydrate2 grams protein

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate along the bottom of the pan.

In a food processor or a strong blender, combine the almonds, cocoa powder and sea salt. Pulse the mixture until it resembles coarse sand, about 10 times. You want some crunchy bits of almonds.

In a saucepan, combine the honey and coconut oil and bring it to a gentle boil. Stir to mix. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Add the almond mixture and the rice cereal into the wet mixture and stir to combine. Any extra add-ins would go in here. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, smooth the top and put it in the fridge to cool for at least an hour.

PT1H15M

 

PT1H15M

American

Dessert

gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, dessert, chocolate naturally sweetened

BOWL PREP

The crusts of a p&j. The butt of a burrito. The shards of Cleo’s egg that she ALWAYS asks for in the morning and barely eats. I hate wasting food, nor do I like making different meals at one time, so I often end up being the garbage disposal to the ends of my kids’ meals. Not dinner, but throughout the day, guilty. I went in to solve my own problem by taking my own advice. If I want to eat well through the day, I need to set myself up for success.

I have been using the same Pyrex containers for years. Maybe ten years? The glass is durable and, does not stain. I have a variety of sizes for all sorts of circumstances. So when they asked me to write a post about how I use them? No question, because it’s a product I am already using daily. When I am taking good care of myself and thinking ahead, and not wanting to eat butts of burritos, I meal prep. If I have food ready, or pieces that get me halfway towards a meal, I am much more likely to eat something well-rounded and filling than a bunch of snacks that still leave me wanting a meal.

These glass Pyrex containers have snap, air tight lids, so I can pop them in the freezer or fridge and not worry about things leaking. It keeps the food fresh longer, and also allows for an easy reheat. I can simply remove the lid and place the dish in my preheated toaster oven. You should not be putting plastic in the microwave - bad for the plastic, bad for the food, bad for you. If my leftovers are something I am not able to reheat on the stove-top, I lay a paper towel over the top and warm it in the microwave. The non-porous glass containers do not stain or smell from acidic products, are better on the environment and while they may be heavy to take on the go, it is a fair trade for how long they last and the whole fridge-to-oven reheat option.

On Sunday afternoon, I dedicated one hour to prep a few things that I knew would make for quicker meals during the week. This may look like a lot, but much of it is hands off. You layer the work. The squash roasts in the oven while you whiz up the pesto. I start the rice and lentils then shake up the vinaigrette and pull out pom seeds while they cook. My plan:

- prepared salad greens (kinds that can be eaten raw or cooked, such as kale and cabbage)

- cilantro pistachio/pepita pesto

- chili maple delicata squash (recipe below)

- pomegranate seeds

- steamed brown rice + lentil mixture

- dijon maple vinaigrette

This leaves me with two meal options that will take under 5 minutes to prepare from here: a big green salad with squash and pom seeds and nuts with the vinaigrette, or rice and lentil bowls, again with more squash, I can sauté some of the greens if I’d like, top with the pesto and then I can easily throw on a little cheese or avocado. The pasta dish that is linked for the cilantro pesto is also amazing and you are 80% of the way to that recipe with these prep pieces too! Use the delicata in place of the butternut and you just need to cook some noodles. The greens I packed are ones I like both in salads, and are not compromised when heated, so they can be either sautéed or dressed for the salad. Tender greens (like butter lettuce, spring mix, arugula) don’t keep as well for me after being washed and stored.

These prepared pieces lasted me the better part of the week for lunches and parts of dinner thanks to my Pyrex glass storage. I also started making a big batch of oats that can easily be reheated with a splash of almond milk, and these pumpkin muffins for breakfast and snack. I’m reminded that I always want to keep my fridge stocked!

This post was sponsored by Pyrex. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me in working with brands, so that we may continue to create content for you.

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Chili Maple Delicata Squash

The beautiful thing about delicata squash is that you can eat the thin skin, so it makes prep so much faster. I cut them in half, seed them, then cut into half moons, or just into coins, and spoon away the seeds from the center circle.

2 medium delicata squash

1 Tbsp. avocado or extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Preheat the oven to 425’ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the squash into 1/2” half moons or rings, and remove the seeds. Place all the squash on the prepared sheet and drizzle on the oil, maple, salt and chili powder. Toss everything to coat and spread them in an even layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and browned in parts.

Remove to cool before storing.

They will keep for a week, stored in a covered container in the fridge.