Cilantro Peanut Pesto

I love it when I find new pasta dishes that work out! Pasta is kind of a staple in our house and I am always looking for a good new pasta dish. This Cilantro Peanut Pesto from Our Best Bites was so yummy and light. It was also much cheaper to make than my regular pesto sauce since I had most of the ingredients on hand.

Cilantro Peanut Pesto
Recipe and picture from: http://www.ourbestbites.com/

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
zest and juice from one lime (about 2 tsp zest and 2 Tbs juice)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts (plus more for serving, if desired)
2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3/4 pound (12 oz) linguine or spaghetti, cooked according to box instructions
Instructions
In a food processor, combine cilantro (save a bit of cilantro for garnish), garlic, ginger, vegetable and sesame oils, red pepper flakes, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and peanuts (basically everything except soy sauce).  Pulse until a coarse paste forms.  Season with soy sauce and pulse to combine.  In a large bowl, toss pesto with hot pasta.  Roughly chop additional peanuts and sprinkle over pasta along with extra cilantro leaves and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

Avacado Enchiladas

I saw this recipe a while back and thought for awhile that that I should try it out. The thing that made me nervous was that I recently tried an avocado pasta recipe and DID NOT like it. I wondered if it was just the fact of eating the avocados warm that was the problem. Well, the avocados are definitely warm in the recipe and they are yummy! I would compare this to honey lime chicken enchiladas and honestly think they are just as good!

Avocado Enchiladas
Recipe source: http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/

3 Large Ripe, but firm Avocados, sliced into cubes (I would double this if you want a large pan of enchiladas)
1 Scant Tablespoon Cumin
2 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/3 Cup Honey
1 Heaping Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped
1 Cup Green Enchilada Sauce
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Tillamook Pepperjack Cheese, grated. (I had shredded colby and monterey jack so I used that)
Tortillas

 Pre-heat your oven to 350. In a bowl, whisk together the cilantro, garlic, cumin, honey, and lime juice. Add the avocado and toss gently. In a separate bowl whisk the enchilada sauce and heavy cream together. Pour a little of your enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of your pan and spread to coat.  Spoon your avocado mixture down the center of a tortilla, top with a little shredded cheese then roll, placing seam side down in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Top with more of your enchilada sauce and more shredded cheese. Bake for 25 min.

Pesto Veggie Pizza

This recipe comes from http://www.tasteofhome.com/ and it is a perfect summer pizza. It's a perfect any time of year pizza :) I love pesto and the broccoli and green pepper were perfect!

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 to 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 to 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup prepared pesto

1-3/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh broccoli

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

2 green onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the Parmesan cheese, oil, sugar, basil, salt, all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining whole wheat flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll dough into a 16-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; build up edges slightly. Prick dough with a fork. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add spinach; cover and boil for 3-5 minutes or until wilted. Drain and place in a food processor. Add pesto; cover and process until blended.

Spread over pizza crust. Top with broccoli, green pepper, green onions, garlic and mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Spinach and Corn Enchiladas

Hello! This recipe came from http://www.realsimple.com/ and was a yummy new twist on enchiladas. I honestly didn't miss not having chicken, or any other kind of meat like I sometimes do when doing the whole veg thing. Enjoy!

Spinach and Corn Enchiladas

1  10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1  cup frozen corn, thawed

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2  4.5-ounce cans chopped green chilies

1  cup  heavy cream

kosher salt and black pepper

8  6-inch corn tortillas, warmed (I used flour)

1. Heat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, mix together the spinach, corn, 1 cup of the Cheddar, and 1 can of the chilies. In a small bowl, stir together the cream, the remaining can of chilies, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Dividing evenly, roll up the spinach mixture in the tortillas (about ⅓ cup per tortilla). Place seam-side down in a shallow baking dish. Top with the cream sauce and the remaining ½ cup of Cheddar. Cover with foil and bake until bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more.