Friday, October 28, 2011

PASTA WITH COOKIN’ GREENS ATHLETE’S MIX & BUTTERNUT SQUASH

 
(*This recipes works with all Cookin’ Greens products)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or any veg oil of your choice)
1 tsp unsalted butter (optional)
1-2 med. sized garlic cloves or 1 tbsp pre-chopped garlic
2 shallots – finely chopped (or 1 medium sized yellow onion)
250 g (1/2 package) Cookin’ Greens –* Athlete’s Mix – Follow ‘Everyday Cookin’ Greens Recipe’ on back of package.
1 butternut squash – peeled, medium size diced or any size you like.
Pasta of your choice- filled, short or long (whole wheat pasta recommended or do 50/50 white/whole wheat
4 oz Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (or Chicken stock)
Dash of nutmeg (optional)
¼ tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp ground black pepper  or to taste)
Romano or Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Method:

Roasted Butternut Squash: Wash, remove skin and fibrous center, then cut into small cubes. (You can also buy fresh frozen diced butternut squash or pre-cut from produce department). Spread the cubes out on an aluminum baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper over top. Use your hands to mix everything around and evenly coat the squash. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, flip them around with a spatula, then roast for another 10 minutes. 

Cookin’ Greens Athlete’s Mix (or any other CG product) –Follow the Everyday Cookin’ Greens Recipe found on the back of package or on our website. (you do have the option of not pre-seasoning your Cookin’ Greens – simply microwave or steam for a few minutes then toss into pasta.)
Pasta. Cook your selected pasta according to the package directions.
Sauce: In a medium size (deep) saucepan, over medium heat, heat olive oil, add shallot/onions, chopped garlic. Add butter. Sautee for about more 5 minutes. Add sea salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Cook for another 1-2 minutes – put aside.

To serve: Toss the cooked, drained pasta directly in to the pan with the sauce. Then toss in the Cookin’ Greens Athlete’s Mix. Using tongs, mix and coat the pasta and Athlete’s Mix with sauce. On low, heat dish through for another 1-2 minutes. Add Romano /Parmesan Cheese. Portion out the mixture in to a bowls (or family style platter) then top with the roasted butternut squash. Season to taste. 

Serve and enjoy.

Other ingredient pairing for this dish:
Pine Nuts
Pitted Black Kalamta Olives (1/2’ed)
Sundried Tomatoes




COOKIN’ GREENS CARROT PUMPKIN CAKE WITH GREENS INFUSED FROSTING

Try this recipe with spinach, kale or BOTH!
1 box Carrot Cake Mix (any brand)
1  cups steamed Cookin’ Greens Kale, Spinach, or combo of the two
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup water plus 2 tsp water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 egg white
1 cup light sour cream or vanilla yogurt
  1. Preheat oven to 350’ F.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or spray thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Steam or microwave Cookin’ Greens according to package directions.  Puree in food processor with 2 tsp of water.  Allow to cool. 
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup cooled Cookin’ Greens, pumpkin puree, water, oil, eggs, egg white, and sour cream.  Beat until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. 
  4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted,  about 45 minutes. 
  5. Allow to cool, and remove cake carefully from loaf pan.  If you plan to frost it, slice cake horizontally and add Cookin’ Greens infused cream cheese frosting between layers.  Cover reassembled cake with either plain frosting or Cookin’ Greens  Infused frosting.
 Greens Infused Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8oz) light cream cheese, at room temperature
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
½ cup cooked, cooled and pureed Cookin’ Greens
2  ½  cups icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
  1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with electric mixer on medium speed until combined  (1 minute).
  2. Add pureed Cookin’ Greens and mix for another 30 seconds to incorporate greens in batch. 
  3. Stop the mixer and slowly add the icing sugar and vanilla. Mix on low speed until all sugar is incorporated. 
  4. Increase speed to medium for another minute to ensure frosting is fluffy. 
  5. Add frosting between cake layers and use to cover entire cake.
 Note:  If you wish, for the finished cake to appear white on the outside, you may also make the frosting without the Greens, and then remove ¾ of the cream cheese frosting to reserve for covering the cake.  Then add the prepared Greens to the remaining ¼ of the batch in the mixing bowl and mix well so the greens combine with the frosting.  Use this batch for the inner cake layer and the plain white frosting for the outer coating .

Enjoy.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Our Green with Envy Contest Winners....

THANK YOU everyone who participated and helped make our 'Green with Envy' contest a success. We have picked our winners!

Our FIRST PLACE Winner is Preena Chauhan with her "Feel ALIVE: 5 reasons to add greens to all your recipes" blog submission! Preena wins a $500 gift certificate to a grocery store of her choice for a shopping spree + a few bags of Cookin' Greens.  
SECOND PLACE goes to Jill Harris the Veggie Voyeur with this fantastic You Tube video submission:

Jill wins Cookin' Greens for a year - 2 FREE Coupons per month (or 24 bags of Cookin' Greens) and an hour consultation with a local, Registered Dietitian so that you can better understand your family's dietary needs. 
THIRD PLACE goes to Sara Reid of What Smells So Good? for her Vegan Torta Al Vino recipe Sara wins a one-hour consultation with healthy eating advocate/mom Nettie Cronish, a signed copy of her latest cookbook - The Everyday Flexitarian, and 6 FREE bags of Cookin' Greens.

Congratulations Ladies on a job well done!