Recipe: Pesto Rigatoni with Mushroom Medley

This deliciously flavorful dish includes the earthy flavors of mixed mushrooms, along with pine nuts, pesto, and Parmesan cheese for a real taste treat! Substitute other pasta shapes for a slightly different dish, or try different types of pesto to make it your own.

Pesto Rigatoni with Mushroom Medley
(Serves 4-6.)
 
Ingredients:

1 box (16 oz) uncooked rigatoni
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
8 ounces mixed-variety fresh mushrooms (button, shiitake, oyster, portebello, or others of your choosing)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup prepared tomato basil pesto sauce
1/2 cup freshly diced tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Put a big pot of salted water on stove over high heat.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, set a large heavy skillet on a burner over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pine nuts, and saute, shaking the pan, until pine nuts are slightly golden brown and fragrant; remove the pine nuts to a bowl and set aside.
3. Turn heat up under large skillet to medium-high, add remaining olive oil and add mushrooms to start cooking them.
4. If water is boiling for pasta, drop the pasta in and cook until just al dente; drain and set aside, keeping warm.
5. Stir mushrooms and when they have browned slightly, add the garlic, stirring until garlic is just fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the vegetable stock, stir, and bring back up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, cooking for about 1 minute longer.
7. Add the tomato basil pesto sauce and stir to combine, then add the pasta and the tomatoes to the skillet, stirring to combine, and turn heat to low and cook just until heated through.
8. Turn out to large pasta bowl, sprinkle pine nuts on top, and serve hot.  Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on individual servings. 

Recipe - Shitake Mushroom & Arugula Omelet

Here is a great CSA breakfast (or lunch, or dinner)!  (I made this this morning, using eggs, mushrooms, and greens from my CSA share.)

Shitake & Arugula Omelet

Delicious and filling, this is chock full of healthy goodness! (For the most health benefits, use all fresh organic ingredients, and make sure the eggs are from  pasture-raised chickens.)  Use more or less to expand the recipe easily - as listed below, will feed one to two people.



CSA Omelet with Shitake Mushrooms & Arugula (Serves 1-2)

Ingredients:
4-5 small to medium shitake mushrooms
Handful of young, tender arugula ("rocket") greens
2 TB real butter (preferably organic)
2-4 eggs (organic, from pasture-fed hens), beaten well
1/4 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, etc.)
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Slice shitake mushrooms into thin strips.
2. Melt 1 TB butter in large skillet until it foams. Add shitakes and saute, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes (you may wish to cover the pan for part of this time, but remove cover to let any liquid evaporate for last couple of minutes).
3. Meanwhile, wash arugula and shake dry. Remove stems, and tear leaves into pieces.
4. Add arugula to mushrooms, stir well, cover, and cook 1-2 minutes longer.
5. Add remaining 1 TB of butter and stir to melt, making sure bottom of pan is coated. Spread mushrooms & greens evenly in bottom of skillet.
6. Pour eggs gently over vegetables to cover. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan tightly.
7. Let cook 2-3 minutes, then rotate pan, turn off heat, and let sit 3 minutes more, or until eggs are firm and cheese is melted.
8. Slide onto a plate and season with salt & fresh ground pepper (we like Himalayan Pink Salt especially well, both for its taste and health benefits)

(For more on CSAs, as well as cooking from scratch and other related topics, visit www.newholisticliving.com. )