The kids and I have been establishing new routines this year. We’ve shed the lazy weekends that used to feel so empty and instead started packing Saturday and Sunday tight with grocery shopping at the good store, cooking, library time, church and family dinner with our extended family. Though I thought the structure of weekend routines would be a burden, it’s really made the weekends feel longer and more fulfilling. I guess it goes to show that change really is good.

Since Sundays seem to be our most packed day, I usually try to make a fast, homemade meal for lunch that can double as lunch for Will during the week. It makes life easier during our early morning rush and also means that we don’t have to rely on sandwiches for school lunch. Variety is a good thing.

This recipe, adapted from Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut “Pesto” in The Food Matters Cookbook, was perfect for that. It takes about five minutes to make. Total. You simply whirl the ingredients in the food processor — garlic first, then with the walnuts and sunflower seeds, then with the basil and red peppers and finally with the olive oil. Season it, stir in the cheese and you are good to go. If you can successfully operate your food processor, you can totally make this.

The flavor of this pesto is tangy, slightly sweet and a little bold. Like stripes with plaid. Toss it with pasta, quinoa or whatever for a simple and easy meal. You could also use it as a sandwich spread or on crostini. Or, hey, spread some on some pizza instead of marinara sauce. Mmm.

This is week three of The Food Matters Project! Get the original recipe at Girlichef. Also, visit The Food Matters Project page to see more posts about this recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper, Sunflower and Walnut Pesto
yields 8 servings
adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
7-8 roasted red bell peppers
1 cup fresh basil, optional
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Add the garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to break up. Add the walnuts and sunflower seeds to the food processor and pulse until the pieces are even sizes (5-6 times. Add the roasted peppers and basil. Run the food processor and pour in the olive oil in a thin stream until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parmesan. Use with two days or freeze in small portions for later.

The post Roasted Red Pepper, Sunflower and Walnut Pesto appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

A few weeks ago, I bought some brown basmati rice for a night when my husband was working. Though we’ve never really loved any brown rice in the past, this time the kids and I enjoyed the nutty grain. But when it came time to make rice a few days later for the whole family, I pulled out white rice thinking my husband would never want to eat brown rice. So, you’ll imagine my surprise when he made some last week for dinner — without any prompting. Turns out, he was ready to give it another go. And he liked it too.

Well, I guess this makes us brown rice fans. Who would have thought it?

Anyway, when I went to whip up this spicy lunch for myself, I went right for the brown rice … it was perfect for it.

This dish is adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe. Recently, I was asked to join The Food Matters Project — a group of bloggers cooking our way through Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook. If you aren’t familiar with the cookbook (or the book Food Matters), the basic premise is that you should eat like your ancestors would have in the early 20th century. It’s not unlike the lessons I recently learned reading Why Women Need Fat. So, when asked to join in, I said yes right away. I could definitely use the lessons from this book to cook better food for my family.

And me too. Because sometimes recipes aren’t for everyone. This one? Totally not for my kids. And that’s okay.

This week’s recipe for the group was Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers. The recipe sounded amazing as is, and I am sure it would make a killer appetizer or side dish. But when I read the combination of flavors, it made me think of lunch. When the kids are in school and I am working, I love having something easy and not-kid-friendly to eat … this was totally that. So I scrapped the skewers, added sweet potatoes and more honey and served this over brown rice and raw kale. Hello.

It’s been a while since I last cooked with smoky, spicy chipotle peppers, powerful little peppers that add a punch to dishes. In this recipe, the chipotles, combined with honey and garlic, turn the sugary butternut squash and sweet potatoes into creamy sweet heat missiles. The nutty brown rice and earthy, firm raw kale make it a total party of textures and flavors.

And yes, I made this one pretty spicy. I love fiery flavors, and love it even more when it’s a sweet fire. Unfortunately, my kids and husband aren’t fans of the heat that chipotle peppers add so this dish really is perfect for my lunch — solo. Oh well, more for me. That’s why it’s perfect for me to enjoy alone for lunch …

You can check out the original recipe at 20something Cupcakes and be sure to check out the Food Matters Project to see how other bloggers interpreted this dish.

Spicy Honey Chipotle Squash and Sweet Potatoes over Brown Rice
serves 4
Adapted from Mark Bittman’s Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers

 1 1/4 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 – 1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
2 chipotle chilis, finely chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce (from the chilis)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup bite size pieces of raw kale

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with non stick aluminum foil.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chipotle chilis, adobo sauce, garlic, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the butternut squash and sweet potatoes and toss well to combine. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring 2-3 times, until tender.

Arrange one cup of brown rice on each of four plates. Top with 1/4 cup kale each and 1/4 of the glazed squash and sweet potatoes. Enjoy!

The post Spicy Honey Chipotle Squash and Sweet Potatoes over Brown Rice appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.