Pasta Primavera

 

This is so easy to make!  I made it using whole wheat pasta!  Yes, you better believe it!  I found it at Whole Foods, but it may not be available in your store.  If you want protein, add a grilled chicken breast or sausage.

 

This is the package of pasta.  Boil the pasta and drain. 

Grill the veggies.  I just season them with salt and pepper and then toss them in a little bit of olive oil.  You might want to use a variety of vegetables.

In a saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and then toss the pasta in the butter.  

    

Add the veggies and then toss the pasta again.

It is soooooooo easy!

                                                      

Whole Salt-Crusted Trout

This is a quick dinner that I made if you love fish!  I used trout, but you can use any whole fish you like.  (It does take a little planning to have the few special ingredients on hand.) The fish is sooooooo moist and the vinaigrette on top is quite flavorful! I know that it seems like that combination would go together, but my family loved it!

These are all the ingredients that go inside the fish. 

Just lay the fish on a sheet pan and stuff!

After mixing the salt and egg white mixture, pat on top of fish and bake.

While the fish is baking, make the vinaigrette.

Carefully remove the hard salt shell and peel off the skin.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve with a salad!

Whole Salt-Crusted Trout

(adaped from Todd English)

For fish:

1 - 2 medium sized whole trout

1 - 3 lb. box of Kosher Salt

6 egg whites

3 cups water

1 orange, sliced

6 cloves garlic

3 star anise

1 small handful whole allspice

1 Tablespoon dried fennel

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For vinaigrette:

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped

1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

Preparation:

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine fennel, star anise, black pepper, garlic and allspice and mix to incorporate. Lay whole fish on a sheet pan and stuff cavity of fish with spice mixture then orange slices.

In another mixing bowl, mix salt, egg whites and water.  Pack salt mixture over the top of fish, covering thickly and completely, and place in oven to bake.  Bake about 35-40 min. (factor 10 to 12 minutes per pound of fish).

Serving:

Remove fish from oven and crack the salt crust.  Gently peel back the skin of the fish and carefully, with a spoon, scoop out the meat of the fish and place onto serving plates.  Dress with vinaigrette.