Zucchini Pesto Pasta Salad

MAKES 4 SERVINGS OF SALAD, AND ABOUT 1 CUP OF PESTO

Ingredients

SALAD

• 3 medium zucchini or summer squashes, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch half-moons

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 8 ounces penne or rotini pasta

• 1 1/2 cups cooked navy or Great Northern beans, or 1 can, drained and rinsed

PESTO

• 2 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup walnuts

• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

OPTIONAL ACCOMPANIMENTS

• Arugula, baby spinach, or other tender leafy green; lemon wedges; Cheesy Hemp Seed Topping or vegan parmesan

Cooking Instructions

To make the salad, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread evenly on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the pasta, then adjust the heat to maintain a low boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but still firm. Drain well.

Put the pasta, zucchini, and beans in a large bowl and stir gently to combine.

To make the pesto, combine the basil, garlic, walnuts, nutritional yeast, oil, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl, season with pepper to taste, then process for 30 seconds, until the pesto has a mostly smooth, even consistency.

Add the pesto to the pasta mixture and stir gently to combine. Serve warm, cool, or at room temperature, scooped over fresh greens, and with your favorite toppings.

Fresh Taco Salad

MAKES 4 LARGE SALADS

Ingredients

Taco Filling

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• 1.5 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/2 cup quinoa

• 1 cup water

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Creamy Avocado-Lime Dressing

• 1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1/2 medium-large avocado, pitted

• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro

• 1 small-medium jalapeno, seeded, deribbed, and roughly chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Salad

• 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped

• 3 cups packed baby arugula

• 1 cup thinly sliced grape or cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced and roughly chopped red onion

• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 1/2 medium-large avocado

• Optional: extra-firm tofu

*A small handful of crumbled tortilla chips. Sprinkle them over the salads just before serving.

Cooking Instructions

1. To make the taco filling: In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the rinsed quinoa and water, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes (the quinoa might not be fluffy yet, but don’t worry.)

2. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Then, uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Gently stir in the black beans and salt. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt, if necessary. Cover and set aside for a couple of minutes to warm up the beans.

3. To make the dressing: In a small food processor or blender, combine the lime juice, olive oil, and water. Using a spoon, scoop in the half avocado and add the cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and salt. Process until the dressing is nice and smooth. The dressing should be zippy, but if it’s unpleasantly tart or difficult to blend, dilute it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and blend again.

4. To assemble the salads: combine the romaine and arugula in a large bowl. Wait to dress the salad until you are ready to serve, as the greens will wilt fairly quickly once dressed. (If you won’t be consuming all 4 servings of this salad right away, portion off the greens you’d like to save for later, and dress only the greens you intend to eat now.)

5. When you’re ready, drizzle the mixture with just enough dressing to lightly coat the greens (you might have extra.) Toss until the dressing is evenly distributed.

6. Arrange the dressed greens in 4 individual salad bowls. Top each salad with taco filling, tomatoes, onion, and crispy tortilla strips. Slice the remaining avocado half into long strips and place a couple of strips on each salad. Serve immediately.