natasha naayem

1. Spring Pistachio Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups pasta of choice (dry)

• 1 zucchini

• 1 summer squash OR 5 asparagus

• 1 fennel bulb

• 2 green onions

• 1/2 cup green peas

• Pistachio Pesto*

• Olive Oil

• Salt n Pepper

Recipe

1. Bring water to a boil and preheat oven to 400 Degrees F

2. Chop zucchini, summer squash, green onion, peas, asparagus and fennel and toss in a generous amount of olive oil salt and pepper

3. Place veggies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes

4. Make pistachio pesto

5. Cook pasta in boiling water and once cooked strain and set aside

6. Save a bit of pasta water and immerse pesto into pasta

7. Once veggies bake for 20 mins, broil on high for another 2-5 minutes

8. Take out of oven and add to pesto pasta

9. Top with more olive oil, salt and pepper + fresh basil and lemon zest as your heart desires or chopped pistachios for an extra crunch

This is DELICIOUS warm or cold as leftovers too. I ate it cold the next day with some cottage cheese & turkey.

*Pistachio Pesto Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pistachios

• 1 cup basil

• 1/2 squeeze lemon

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup Parmesan (or nutritional yeast if DF)

• 1/4 cup olive oil (+ a lil extra to blend)

• Salt n pepper

Recipe

1. Put everything besides olive oil into a food processor & slowly pulse to combine

2. Once combined, slowly pulse in olive oil to blend until you reach desired consistency

2. Chipotle Bowl

Ingredients

• Chicken (below)

• Cilantro Lime Rice (below)

• Pico de Gallo (below)

• Guac (below)

• Romaine or Lil Gems

• Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

• Raw Cheddar Cheese 

• Salsa

• Chips to Serve

Recipe

1. Start by marinating chicken

2. Then prep pico and guac and let sit in the fridge

3. Get started on cooking rice, and then chicken

4. While rice and chicken are cooking, chop romaine and prep cheese

5. Once everything is ready, plate and serrrveeeeee

For the Chicken

• 2 Chicken Thighs

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 tbsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp chilie powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin 

• Salt n pepper

Recipe

1. Make marinade by whisking olive oil, oregano, chili, cumin salt and pepper

2. Pour over chicken thighs and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour

3. Melt butter on a pan and place chicken thighs onto pan once hot with extra marinade

4. Cook thighs for a few minutes on each side or until completely cooked through (~175 degrees F)

For the Cilantro Lime Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2 cups chicken broth or filtered water

• Juice of 2 limes

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• 1 Bay leaf

• Salt

Recipe

1. Melt butter in a pot and then pour in clean rice, coat rice in butter

2. Top with broth

3. Bring to a light boil then reduce heat to low-medium simmer and cover

4. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until rice is cooked

5. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, lime and salt

For the Pico de Gallo

• 1 Roma Tomato 

• 1/2 red onion 

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/2 jalapeño 

• Salt

Recipe

1. Finely chop tomato, red onion and jalepeno and cilantro

2. Add to a bowl and pour over lime and salt

3. Mix and Let sit in fridge for at least an hour before serving

For the Guac

• 1 large avocado

• 1/2 squeeze lemon 

• 1 tbsp cilantro

• Salt n pepper

Recipe

1. Mash together avocado, lemon, cilantro salt and pepper