Sliced Beet, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Salad

A caprese salad is one of my favorite summer dishes.  I just love the fresh flavors and the sheer simplicity of the dish.  I am so excited to have found an off-season variation using beets, goat cheese, and arugula.  You can easily roast the beets ahead of time, making assembly a breeze.  These three ingredients compliment each other so very well, and the presentation is elegant yet effortless.  For younger ones, I simply cut the beets into smaller pieces, crumble the goat cheese slightly, and tear the arugula into smaller pieces.  They won't have the pretty plate, but they can easily eat it that way.  My kids devoured it!  I hope you give it a try as well!

Ingredients

1 bunch beets, washed and green removed

1 tsp balsamic glaze

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

4 oz goat cheese log

1 C baby arugula

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place the beets in a glass container and pour in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Using your hands, cover each beet in olive oil.  Place foil over the container and bake until the largest beet is easily pierced with a knife, about 45-60 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  
2. Once cool, slice off the ends of the beet and peel off the skin.  Slice the beets into 1/4" thick rounds.  Place them in a shallow bowl and add the balsamic glaze.  Use your hands to evenly coat each slice.
3. Slice the goat cheese into desired thickness.  
4. To serve, place a beet round on a plate, top with a slice of goat cheese, then a few arugula leaves.  Continue until appropriate serving size is achieved.  Lightly drizzle salad with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

This is an original recipe

Creamy Bowtie Pasta with Peas and Arugula

I love the convenience of one-dish meals.  There's so much less to clean up afterwards!  This is a favorite option of mine.  We love pasta at our house, but we usually have a salad or vegetable side dish with it.  This pasta is great because the salad is right on top!  I love to add TONS of crispy arugula on my pasta because the flavor is great and I eat less overall pasta.  If your little ones don't like the taste of arugula, you can easily leave it out.  My girls do, so I just tear the leaves into small pieces for them.  

Ingredients

16 oz farfalle pasta

16 oz frozen peas

2 C heavy cream

1 1/2 C Imagine No-Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)

1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

5 oz baby arugula

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Add the frozen peas 1 minute before the end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cream and broth in a large skillet.  Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, stirring often.  This may take 15-20 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan until melted. 
3. Add the pasta and peas into the skillet and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  To serve, place the hot pasta on a plate or bowl, top with pine nuts and arugula.  

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  I have to tell you, I have recently begun enjoying homemade smoothies.  It is my new favorite thing!  My girls and I love making a new recipe each time.  We pack it full of greens and fruit.  I am so excited to enjoy them all summer long!  We have a lovely selection of produce from the farm for the week.  We gathered some spinach, romaine, kale, broccoli, sugar snap peas, beets, and strawberries.  With that assortment, we will be enjoying the following:

• Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
• using the broccoli

• Creamy Bowtie Pasta with Peas and Arugula with a Stacked Beet Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad
• using the beets

• Red Robin Chicken Tender Salad
• using the romaine

• We will be using the spinach and beet greens in smoothies, enjoying the sugar snap peas for snack.  I will be having the Massaged Kale Salad for lunch and strawberries for dessert.