Early September is a pretty good time for fresh produce. Most summer fruits and veggies are still in season. But! Fall produce is also starting to be in season. It’s like when The Real Housewives of Atlanta is wrapping up and the new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey is just starting and they overlap for a few glorious weeks. So enjoy it!
Here’s what I ate this week:
Achiote-Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos // Corn! Butternut squash! Together! I tweaked this one a little bit by omitting the sugar and replacing the black bean salsa with fresh corn thrown in with the caramelized onions.
Pasta with Olives and Pistachios Walnuts // So I used pimento-stuffed olives in this because they were on sale for super cheap. And I replaced the pistachios with walnuts because I had them on hand. I also used lemon-infused olive oil instead of regular. But this was still delicious!
Veggie Burger with Enoki, Portabella & Shiitake Mushrooms and Morel & Leek Jack Cheese // Sorry, iPhone picture. I got this at Tribeca Tavern in Raleigh. So many restaurants serve awful frozen veggie burgers topped with some sad cheese and iceberg lettuce, so I wanted to give them a shout out for having this delicious burger (made with local ingredients!) on their menu.
Individual Pizza made with Rose Romano’s Italian Gourmet Topping // I received samples from Rose Romano’s to write about here and I’ve been using them to make quick (but tasty!) meals for the past few weeks. They’re authentic Italian-style marinara sauces made with green or red peppers. Although we’ve enjoyed them on pasta and spaghetti squash, these mini pizzas are my favorite thing to do with them: I spread two tablespoons of the green pepper marinara onto whole wheat tortillas, top them each with 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake them for 8 minutes at 425 degrees. When they’re done, I sprinkle them with a little coarsely chopped basil. While the pizzas are cooking, you can throw together a quick salad. Dinner in under 10 minutes!
Mexican Chocolate Banana Soft Serve // (Please excuse my chipped nail polish.) I’ve been having this for dessert lately to stave off ice cream cravings. I puree a frozen banana with 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk, a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, about half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne. And then I eat it straight out of the food processor because I’m classy like that.
Also follow on:
It’s always so sad when that happens with soft serve. You ever go to get that last bit of it out of the blender and have it come out real fast all over your face? Oh…um, me either!
Happy Friday!
No, but I DID get it in my eye once. (Long story.)
Heavenly! I just bought some winter squash so I need to get on this!
You crack me up with the Real Housewives. My favorite way to use RR peppers is on pizza too! Love your idea of using tortillas. And 10-minute dinner is what we’re all about!! Thanks for featuring us this week!
I’m planning on using it again this week with penne and a quick saute of mushrooms & onions. We love it!
especially love the homemade and easy ice cream Love you to link up this recipe or one of your other amazing ones on my new recipe linky have a great weekend. http://www.stayingclosetohome.com/2012/09/friday-food-frenzy-week-2.html
I want that winter squash taco! Looks fabulous!
I’d never think to use butternut squash in tacos, what a great idea! Looking forward to all the winter squashes.
I had tried it once before, but it didn’t turn out nearly as well as this recipe!
You are classy like that!
I’ve got to try that frozen banana trick though, such a good idea. Are you a RHNY fan? That’s my favorite b/c those girls are crazy!
The banana soft serve is a crucial part of my new diet plan.
I’ve been leaving calories for it every night because I need something sweet for dessert and I like something that’s kind of filling too, but not necessarily heavy.
I love New York! My new favorite phrase is “coma toast,” joining “turtle time” and “making a mountain out of a holemill.” Which reminds me, I need to look for Ramona pinot next time I go to Target…
That pizza looks delish! I’ve made a 50% all-veggie meal decision for us at home.
Oh, that is awesome! I think a lot of people are cutting down on meat and not necessarily cutting it out altogether. I do the same with dairy.
All of these sound and look wonderful, but the Mexican Chocolate Banana Soft Serve just makes my mouth water! Wow what an idea.
There are so many variations of that banana soft serve–you should try it! Whenever I get a craving for ice cream, I make that. I keep bananas in the freezer for that and my breakfast shakes.
I hope you’re serious about eating it directly out of the food processor – cause I do it too! I take out the blade and then just eat what’s in there. It saves me from dirtying up any more dishes. And yum! Your nondairy ice cream options are going to be the end of me…heading to the freezer now for the last of the peach ice cream!
I am serious! I do it for the same reason–I don’t want to use a dish for it.
Definitely going to try the pasta with olives and walnuts! Sounds like my type of meal. Love your Real Housewives analogy haha!
If you like olives, you will love it!
Mexican Chocolate Banana Soft Serve… Sounds and looks good! The ingredients are all good for you so you can enjoy it guilt-free. Gonna try it!
It is the best dessert ever. It’s good for you but it tastes exactly like banana ice cream–what’s not to love?!
The leek jack cheese at Tribeca Tavern sounds very interesting. I’d like to try making that sometime.
We used to buy it all the time when we lived in Wisconsin, since it’s made by a cheese company there. I think it’s one of the best cheeses I’ve ever had…
The Pasta with Olives and Walnuts look and sound amazing. Note to self: Must try this!
It is so good! Olives are one of my favorite ingredients–I will add them to anything!
You know, I love olives as well but I never thought to add them when cooking.
Classy enough to hang out with me! Bring the soft-serve…holy yum.
Banana soft serve for everyone!
That sandwich is huge!
It was small compared to my husband’s! Like, you would have to dislocate your jaw in order to eat it as-is. He had to take some of the topping off.
That veggie burger looks amazing! I love when restaurants put as much effort into veggie burgers as other burgers! Banana soft serve is amazing, I need to remember to get bananas in the freezer more often so I can make it more!
I have a whole bag full of bananas in the freezer! Whenever we have bananas, I eat half of them fresh and then freeze the other half. Because I’m totally addicted to banana soft serve.
wow, those tacos look yummy! makes me happy for fall.
The tacos please! They look delish!
I have made all kinds of tacos, but never squash tacos. What a great idea. I will have to try it sometime.
I want.
The ice cream.
The tacos.
I WANT.
(seriously, I’m printing out the recipe for the tacos)
That recipe reminded me that I don’t make tacos nearly enough. Especially crazy tacos.
the veggie burger looks so delicious! And I never would have thought of butternut squash tacos!
I have my eye on those beautiful tacos and that delicious soft serve. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.