Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

This recipe was awesome to make a huge amount and then bring as my lunch for the rest of the week! I did have to re-freshen it with some olive oil every time, but it was delicious and I'd definitely make this one again. I got this, again, from the amazing America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Recipes book

The recipe:
1 pound fusilli
2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
3 oz (3 cups) baby arugula - I used 1/2 a bag of arugula and spinach


Pesto:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp lemon juice (I accidentally bought lime juice and it tasted fine)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed


Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again, leaving pasta slightly wet.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Brush chicken with 1 tbsp oil (or if you don't have a brush, heat up the oil in your pan) and season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on first side, 6-8 minutes. Flip chicken and cook another 6-8 minutes, until chicken registers 160 degrees. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Process basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. With processor running, slowly pour in 2/3 cup oil and process until smooth.

Toss pasta, pesto, shredded chicken, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Immediately before serving, stir in arugula and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top with extra Parmesan and serve.

For leftovers, add warm water and additional oil as needed to refresh.

Mom's Rhubarb Cake

 Mom's Rhubarb Cake

This is my all-time favorite recipe with rhubarb! My mom has a rhubarb plant that was originally divided from my great-grandfather's garden! She makes this cake way better than I do but it was still fantastic when I tried for the first time this week! I was also so excited to get baking that I didn't take any pictures until after I already had a slice. Or three. This cake also tastes a lot better the day after you bake it, so if you can stand to wait a whole day before eating a slice (which I can't) it'll be much better!

The recipe:

2 cups flour

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, softened but not melted

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups diced rhubarb

Crunch topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13x9in pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. 

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in milk, egg, and vanilla. Your mix will look very soup-y at this point. Slowly stir in flour mix until just incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Finally, stir in rhubarb.

Transfer mix to prepared pan and smooth until even. Sprinkle on topping.

Bake for 40-55 minutes, checking it first at 40 minutes and then in five minute intervals after. Your cake will be done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chocolate Banana Muffins - 150 calories!

150 Calorie Chocolate Banana Muffins

I'm not quite sure how the author of the original recipe decided that they're 100 calories, but if I enter this recipe into myfitnesspal.com it comes up as a little over 140. So if you add the chocolate drizzle to the top I bet it'd be around 150!

See the original recipe here!

The recipe:
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 large bananas)
1 cup flour (original recipe calls for oat flour, I used all purpose)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Chocolate chips (optional)

Recipe makes 8-10 regular sized muffins, or 5 in a big muffin tin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and bananas. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

Slowly add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (regular sized muffins) or 25-30 minutes (big muffins), or until toothpick comes out clean.

Optional if you'd like a couple extra calories - drizzle with melted chocolate. I found these were so sweet and delicious it didn't need it!