Cacio E Pepe

Author: Rebecca Hubbell

PREP TIME 10minutes MINUTES

COOK TIME 15minutes MINUTES

TOTAL TIME 25minutes MINUTES

 Servings 4 people

This Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that’s made with thick pasta, two types of cheeses, and two other easy ingredients! Ready to enjoy in just 25 minutes from start to finish!

Ingredients

  • ▢ 1 lb bucatini pasta thick Spaghetti (or vermicelli if preferred)
  • ▢ 2 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorn from the peppermill
  • ▢ 3 garlic cloves grated
  • ▢ 1 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese
  • ▢ ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • ▢ Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
  • ▢ Cracked peppercorn for garnish
  • ▢ Shredded Pecorino cheese for garnish

Instructions

  • You will want to work quickly to prepare this recipe. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini and cook for 9 minutes. Do not drain the pasta.1 lb bucatini pasta
  • Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add cracked pepper to the pan and roast for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, grate the garlic cloves into the pan and stir. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toasting the pepper releases the flavor and aroma of the peppercorn into this dish. This is the traditional way to prepare the dish and will serve as the base of the sauce. The grated garlic melts into the sauce and is a quicker way to cook the garlic.2 teaspoon fresh cracked peppercorn, 3 garlic cloves
  • Add ½ cup of the pasta water to the frying pan and stir well. The water will boil and steam once poured into the pan.
  • Next, grate the pecorino and parmesan cheeses into a bowl. Add ¼ cup of hot pasta water to the cheese and stir. Stir until the cheese is slightly melted and smooth. This will be the creamy sauce the pasta is served in.1 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese, ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • Use tongs to remove the bucatini from the pasta water and add it to the frying pan with the pepper and garlic. Add ½ cup of pasta water and stir. Continue to stir the bucatini for 3 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking during this time and stirring helps to evenly cook it while infusing with the pepper. Turn off the heat but keep the pan on the burner.
  • Add the cheese to the pasta. Stir and mix well to melt the cheese and evenly coat the pasta.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, additional pepper, and pecorino cheese.Fresh chopped parsley, Cracked peppercorn, Shredded Pecorino cheese

Notes

  • Work Quickly! This recipe moves quickly so it’s best to be prepared by having your equipment out and ingredients pre-measured.
  • Do Not Drain! Do not drain the water from cooking the pasta! That starchy water is used throughout the recipe to complete the creamy, yummy sauce!
  • Toast The Pepper! Toasting the pepper is the traditional way to prepare this recipe. Doing so releases the flavor and aroma of the peppercorn into this dish!
  • Heat! Heat is one of the most important parts of this recipe! Not enough and the dish won’t turn out how it’s intended to.
  • How To Store Leftovers:Since the sauce does tend to thicken up when stored, I find this dish tastes best when enjoyed the same day it’s made. However, we also don’t want leftovers to go to waste! Therefore, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Then eat them up within 3 days!
  • Why Is Mine Watery? If your dish turned out watery, then the heat was likely the culprit. When combining the ingredients, you want the right amount of heat in the pasta water and frying pan. Not enough heat and the cheese clumps up, leaving your dish watery!

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 526mg| Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 409mg | Iron: 2mg

Harira Soup

  • PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
  • COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR
  • YIELD: 6-8 SERVINGS (or 10 cups)

DESCRIPTION

Harira is hearty, full of protein and loaded with nutrients.  This healthy one-pot meal is deeply flavorful due to warming the fragrant spices. You can easily adapt this to gluten-free and vegan if you desire. I found this recipe on feastingathome.com and it’s oh, so flavorful!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, inner leaves are fine, chopped small
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 6 cups broth, vegetable or chicken or water
  • 1 28 ounce canned, whole or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • a tiny pinch of saffron (optional)
  • 1-2 teaspoons sea salt (see note)
  • 1/2 cup red lentils, dry
  • 1/2 cup brown or green lentils, dry
  • 1 1/2 cups (1 15- ounce can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) cooked
  • 2 teaspoons honey (optional if needed)
  • 1/4 pound capellini pasta, broken into approximately 1-inch pieces (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, stems are great
  • 1/2 cup parsley

Serve with lemon wedges, a swirl of yogurt (if desired) and dates on the side.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Saute onions for 5 minutes in olive oil, over medium heat.
  2. Add celery, garlic, ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne.  Stir for another minute.  Sautéing the spices allows them to bloom and deepen in flavor.
  3. Add broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, saffron, salt, red lentils, brown lentils, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley.  Bring to a simmer, cover with a vented lid, for 30 minutes.
  4. Add Chickpeas and pasta cook 5-10 minutes more.  (see notes)
  5. Add honey and remaining fresh herbs.

NOTES

If you plan to save the soup for eating later or freeze it, cook the pasta separately and add it in per serving.  Especially good for some of the gluten-free varieties of pasta that tend to break down more easily.

Salt will depend on the broth used and the amount in canned chickpeas- so salt to taste.

Variations: Throw in chard, kale, spinach or other greens. Use cooked rice instead of pasta. Use orzo pasta instead of broken capellini. Add seared lamb, beef, or chicken.

NUTRITION

  • Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups
  • Calories: 261
  • Sugar: 6.2 g
  • Sodium: 340.2 mg
  • Fat: 5.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41.9 g
  • Fiber: 7.2 g
  • Protein: 13.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Carrot Spice Smoothie

This delicious shake reminds me of carrot cake only it’s a whole lot more nutritious and guilt-free!  I found it in the Standard Process 1 Degree of Change Cookbook. 

Ingredients

1 cup fresh carrot juice

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated with a micro plane grater

1/2-1 banana, frozen

Pinch of ground cinnamon

2 scoops of SP Complete

1 handful of spinach (optional but I like to sneak in more greens!)

Instructions

Purée all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. 

Pour into your favorite glass and Enjoy!  

Nutritious AND delicious!

Peruvian Quinoa Soup with Cilantro & Avocado

 Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-large red onion finely chopped
4 chopped serrano chilies, finely chopped (reserving a bit for garnish)
4 garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon coriander, freshly toasted and ground
1 cup white quinoa
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1  bunch cilantro, chopped (reserving a few sprigs for garnish)
juice of 3 limes (or to taste)
1 avocado, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil and over low heat saute the onions, garlic, and chiles. Sauté until they’re soft, about three minutes.

Add the ground coriander, stir, and then add the quinoa.

Toast quinoa for a minute or so, stirring as you do. Add chicken stock and cook on low -medium until the quinoa is tender (approximately 15-20 minutes). It will absorb a lot of broth, so plan on adding more broth or water to get the consistency just right.

Taste. Play with salt, lime, and serrano until the balance is to your taste. 

Top with avocado and cilantro and enjoy this lovely, healthy soup!

Green never tasted so good!

Alyene’s Blueberry Peach Feta Salad 

My friend Alyene shared this delicious fruit salad one summer day while we enjoyed a concert in the park. It has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and fresh flavors! Tossed in a lemon basil vinaigrette, it’s an easy and delicious salad to serve in summer at a bbq or picnic! 

Servings: 4

Sweet, salty and fresh! A perfect combination.

Ingredients 

  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 2 peaches (or nectarines)
  • 2 Persian cucumbers or an English cucumber
  • 2-4 oz feta 
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil (sliced thinly) or you can substitute fresh mint. 
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Making this salad is as easy as making a simple everyday lettuce salad. Dice the peaches or nectarines, slice the cucumbers, and add them to a serving bowl along with the blueberries.

Whenever I make a recipe with feta, I prefer to use block feta and crumble it myself. I feel that the flavor is better, it isn’t as dry and it doesn’t have any of the anti-caking agent in it that pre-crumbled and pre-shredded cheeses contain. For this salad recipe you can crumble or cube the feta cheese.

The final step is to make the lemon vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, dijon, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar. Thinly slice the fresh basil or mint, otherwise known as chiffonade and add it into the mix. Screw on the lid and shake it until it’s well combined. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss everything together. You can eat the salad immediately or refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

The salad keeps for a couple days in the refrigerator. The peaches will get softer and the feta will start to break down the longer it’s in the fridge, but it still tastes great!

You can do some steps in advance (dressing and cutting up ingredients) but it is best to toss  all the ingredients just before serving.

Yellow Squash and Onions

Here’s an easy and healthy weeknight side dish that’s packed with flavor but only needs a few ingredients. Pair it with your favorite chicken or fish dish.

Serving : 2

Ingredients

2 yellow squash (1/2 in slices)

1/2 small onion 

Sprinkle of dried thyme

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Splash of Olive oil 

Instructions

Wash the produce.

Slice the squash into 1/2 inch coins and slice onion into 1/2 inch rings. 

Toss in a bowl with olive oil and herbs

Lay in a single layer on a foil lined pan and roast at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Serve and enjoy!

Gardener’s Ratatouille

Here’s a fresh and tasty way to use up the midsummer garden surplus of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.  

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup onions diced (approx I medium onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (approx 2 tsp)
  • 1 cup bell pepper (any color)
  • 2 cups zucchini and/oe yellow squash large diced
  • 2 cups eggplant, diced
  • 3 cups fresh tomatoes chopped
  • 3 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, basil and oregano)
  • salt and pepper to taste (roughly 1 tsp each)

Instructions

  • In a large saute skillet, heat  olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add the remaining vegetables and garlic. Cover, reduce heat simmer 30 minutes or until veggies are cooked thru. A
  • Stir in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.  (Don’t overcook).
  • Garnish  with more fresh herbs as desired and Enjoy!  

Asian Simple Salad and Dressing

I was on the hunt for an easy and tasty Asian Salad Recipe and stumbled upon this one from Fit Foodie Finds. This is one of my new favorites! Take a peak below or go to link https://fitfoodiefinds.com/asian-salad-dressing/

Prep: 20 minutesCook: 0 minutesTotal: 20 minutes

SERVINGS 4

Asian Salad Dressing

This Asian Salad Dressing is made with garlic, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a little soy sauce. It’s the perfect healthy salad dressing to top on your favorite kale salad or use as a chicken marinade!

Prep: 5 minutesCook: 10 minutesTotal: 15 minutes

FAT 15 CARBS 3 PROTEIN 0

YIELD 4

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly minced
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Asian Kale Salad Ingredients

  • 4 cups shredded kale, packed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 large red pepper, minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 cup onion, minced (any kind)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds


    INSTRUCTIONS
  • Start off by making your Asian Salad Dressing.  
  • Prepare Asian salad by placing kale into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
  • Massage the olive oil into the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until kale is soft and broken down.
  • Add the rest of the kale salad ingredients to the bowl and mix.
  • Pour entire dressing on the salad and toss until all ingredients are combined.

TIPS & NOTES

Nutrition includes Asian Salad dressing.

NUTRITION FACTS

  • Serving Size: 1/4 Calories: 249 Sugar: 6 Fat: 19 Carbohydrates: 18 Fiber: 4 Protein: 4

Asian Slaw with Cilantro Lime Ginger Dressing

My husband and I recently embarked on a “clean eating” journey. We vowed to eat more veggies and less processed foods. Clean eating doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good taste. Here is a savory salad that we found in the Standard Process Purification Cookbook. The combination of granny smith apples and citrusy lime cilantro dressing are the secret to this tasty asian slaw. Leftovers store well in the fridge too!

Ingredients

4 cups (8 oz.) thinly sliced savoy cabbage

2 cups (6 oz.) thinly sliced red cabbage

2 medium carrots (4 oz.), peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks

1 large Granny Smith apple (8 oz.), unpeeled, cored, and cut into thin matchsticks

½ tsp sea salt

2 T. plus 1 tsp. lime juice

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. stevia powder

2 T. Olive oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced (2 cups)

1 pinch salt, optional

1 T. plus 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts, optional (not during cleanse)

Preparation

1. Combine savoy cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and apple in large heat-proof bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Whisk together apple cider vinegar, lime juice, 2 Tablespoons water and stevia powder in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt, and cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until onions are browned and bottom of pan has brown bits. Add ginger, and cook 30 seconds. Add vinegar mixture to deglaze, and cook 15 to 25 seconds, using spatula or spoon to scrape up brown bits. Remove from heat, and spread onion mixture over cabbage mixture. Toss with tongs until slaw is well combined and cabbages begin to wilt.

3. Add 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, and toss to combine. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve garnished with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and peanuts, if using.

Parsley & Chive Potato Frittata

I recently started an herb garden. I love using fresh herbs in my cooking and my indoor AeroGarden allows me to have them year round. This simple egg dish can be whipped up in a jiffy and can be served for breakfast/brunch as well as an easy weeknight dinner with a salad. It’s healthy and bursting with fresh flavors. Enjoy!

Parsley and Chive Potato Frittata

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes cut into cubes (no skin)

1 Tbs olive oil

9  organic brown eggs

1/2 cup chopped chives

1 cup of green peas

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 package soft herbed cheese (I like Boursin)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil or bake potatoes until tender

Scramble the eggs in a bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well.

Heat an oven-safe skillet (ie cast iron) on the stove over medium heat with 1-2 Tbs of olive oil.

Pour the mixture into the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 minutes in the pan. Place the pan in the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes more or until slightly brown on top. Allow it to rest before serving. Serves 4.

Recipe and Photo courtesy of Andrea Correale