Pizza Pasta Salad

So, let’s talk about school. Are you going back? Distance learning? Homeschooling? Something else? It is, for sure, an emotional minefield for so many people. If you’re still figuring things out, I’m sending you big, virtual hugs.

One thing I’ve been hearing a lot is about lunch – some schools are requiring packed lunches, some are sending the kids home early so there will be no lunch served. Lunch so often feels like an overlooked meal – but I believe it’s one we’re all going to be thinking about this year.

I’m a huge fan of make-ahead lunches. Something I can whip together in a big batch and serve all week – and this pizza-inspired pasta salad is just that.

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Watermelon Salsa

One of my highlights of summer is the availability of fresh, local produce. Between our CSA and local farmer’s market, we’ve had an abundance of seasonal fruits and veggies. This week, I’m sharing some of the things I’ve been cooking up as part of #FarmersMarketWeek.

My first recipe is a quick, no-cook salsa. Instead of tomatoes, the base of this is watermelon – making a perfect summery salsa with a touch of sweetness.

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Ham & Cheese Breakfast Enchiladas

How do you turn enchiladas into a breakfast food? Wrap your favorite omelette fillings in tortillas, then pour egg over the top and bake. The result are these brunch-perfect enchiladas.

Two tortillas filled with and egg mixture and topped with cheese on a white plate. The plate is on a purple napkin and there is a baking dish with more egg-filled tortillas in the background.

The egg mixture flows into the tortillas making each a perfect little bundle. They’re perfectly portioned and easy to serve for company – but they also reheat like a dream so you can make them for yourself and enjoy all week!

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Sheet Pan Gnocchi & Vegetables

Today marks three weeks of social distancing for us. We are trying to stay home as much as possible in this weird, temporary normal, which means my 2-3 grocery trips per week have been severely cut back – we made it 18 days before our first grocery run and we’re hoping to make it another 2-3 weeks before going back.

If you’re trying to space grocery trips, this is an ideal meal for week two. The vegetables used here hold up pretty well to a week in the fridge – and even if they start getting a little soft, you’ll never be able to tell after roasting them!

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Greek Cauliflower Rice & Chickpeas

We have hit the point of the winter when veggies are no longer exciting.

During the summer and fall, we have a CSA share that loads us up with fresh vegetables weekly and inspires me to cook them creatively. Once the CSA ends? It becomes a regular rotation of bagged salad, roasted broccoli, and roasted green beans.

I recently discovered the kids like cauliflower rice, so I’ve been playing with different ways to dress it up. This Greek-style version was a huge hit. So huge that we ended up fighting over the leftovers!

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Chicken Fajita Burgers

This post is part of a kick-butt burger grill giveaway hosted by GirlCarnivore but the burger epicness is all my own.

‘Tis the season for burgers, which is why I’m so excited to be participating in GirlCarnivore‘s #BurgerMonth and sharing this awesome Chicken Fajita Burger.

Chicken Fajita Burgers 2

A mashup of your favorite tex-mex and the cookout classic, these burgers pack a big flavor punch!

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Grilled Vegetables with Whipped Avocado Feta Dip

You know what I’ve noticed? Almost no one brings vegetables to a barbecue – but, when someone does, they always seem to get gobbled up.

Grilled Vegetables 1

I think a large part of their scarcity is that vegetables don’t have a great reputation for being an easy dish to take along. Let this one change your mind.

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Baked Vegetable Tacos

Today is the first Friday of Lent, so I’m kicking off my annual Lenten project – sharing meatless meals every Friday. What began as simply a way to keep from eating plain spaghetti and pizza every Friday has grown into one of my favorite yearly blog projects.

Baked Veggie Tacos 1

But, nine years on, how do I keep this series fresh? I’ve spent a bunch of time thinking about our family’s current needs and how to get them to reflect in my meatless Friday posts.

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Barbecue Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats

The winter can be a tricky time to eat healthy. Coming off the holidays, I know my body wants things that will actually fuel it, but I’m still craving all the cold-weather comfort foods. This dish is a fantastic compromise.

These spaghetti squash boats are warm and comforting like a casserole, but chock full of veggies and lean meat instead.

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Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Creamy Mustard Sauce #Tresomega #OrganicsForLife

MustardSaucePasta1.jpgDisclosure: This post is part of the Tresomega Nutrition Blogger Recipe Challenge. I received complimentary products to use in this post. All opinions are my own.

My last  Tresomega for the week is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s also healthy! This mustard sauce is a great way to add a lot of flavor without adding a lot of calories. My kids (and us adults) gobbled it up!

Again, I was super impressed with Tresomega’s pasta. It’s gluten free, but we honestly wouldn’t be able to tell if we didn’t already know!

For more recipe inspiration, you can visit them on Facebook and Twitter. You can purchase Tresomega products at: Tresomega.com. Sams.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.

 

Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Creamy Mustard Sauce
(a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
Serves 4

1 box Tresomega Gluten-Free Organic Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. chicken apple sausage, coin sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add in sausage, peppers, and onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in the mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and serve.

MustardSaucePasta2