I love broccoli but sometimes I want to serve something a little fancier than the plain ol’ steamed version. This recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare and makes a nice side dish to many other meals. I served it most recently with Really Good Lasagna.

This recipe is good as is but sometimes I add in a pinch or two of crushed red chili pepper flakes for a little kick. To keep the broccoli bright green, serve it right after cooking. Enjoy!

Broccoli with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts
Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com

Broccoli’s impressive nutritional profile (think folate, vitamins C and A, fiber, phytochemicals) puts it high on the list of foods to eat more of, an inviting task when you toss it with crunchy pine nuts, soft, sweet onions and tangy balsamic vinegar.

 Serves: 4 servings, 3/4 cup each.

3 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped slivered almonds
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 cups broccoli florets
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Toast pine nuts (or almonds) in a medium dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, adjusting heat as necessary, until soft and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam broccoli until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the nuts, onion, vinegar and pepper; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, broccoli, caramelized onions, pine nuts, Side Dish, Vegetable

Most people fall in one of two categories with eggplant: you either Like It or Hate It. I happen to be in the Like It category. Recently I was looking up new sandwich recipes and came across this “sandwich” using grilled eggplant. Not only are these Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches beautiful, but they’re also delicious, incredibly easy and vegetarian.

I misread the recipe and put a slice of mozzarella on each slice of eggplant so I got extra cheesy sandwiches…no big deal! I loved the flavor of the smoky grilled eggplant with the melty cheese, fresh basil and the crunch of the pine nuts…Delicious!

Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Makes 4 servings.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 1/2-inch-thick eggplant slices
4 1/4-inch-thick slices part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
4 large bunches arugula
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Spray grill with oil spray and prepare barbecue (medium heat). Spray eggplant on both sides with oil spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Place 1 cheese slice atop each of 4 eggplant slices; top with remaining eggplant slices. Grill until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula, tomatoes and basil; toss. Divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Top each with 1 eggplant sandwich.

Tags: arugula, balsamic vinegar, basil, eggplant, fresh mozzarella, Grilling/BBQ, olive oil, pine nuts, tomato

There’s nothing like freshly made pesto! This particular recipe fills your whole kitchen with the wonderful fragrance of basil, garlic, lemon and parsley…Yumm! The pesto only takes a few minutes to make and freezes well (always a bonus!).

I’ve tried this pesto tossed with hot pasta and with grilled chicken…both are excellent! It would also be great in pasta salad (add chopped tomatoes, olives, feta, etc.).  There’s so many other great uses for this pesto, too. Get creative and let me know how you used it!

For more recipes, check out Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday and Tuesday Tastes.

Basil-Lemon Pesto
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

A light and lemony variation on the traditional pesto, this version combines fresh parsley and basil. Toss with your favorite pasta, or spoon over grilled fish or chicken breasts. To toast the pine nuts, place them on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2 garlic cloves
3 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, basil, parsley, cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse until ground to a fine paste, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups.

Tags: basil, garlic, lemon, olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, pesto, pine nuts

The first time I tasted pesto was in a small restaurant in San Francisco called Restaurante Parma. I was in my late teens-early twenties and on a vacation with my family. Always being the adventurous eater, I ordered the pesto pasta even though I didn’t really know what it was. I’d never tasted anything like it before; there was so much flavor in such a simple dish.  I’ve been smitten with pesto ever since.

Pesto is incredibly easy to make from scratch, especially if you have a food processor. It addition to tossing with hot or cold pasta, here’s a few other ways to use pesto:
-mix it with mayonnaise or use as is for a delicious sandwich spread
-spoon it on top of vegetable or minestrone soup
-mix it with sour cream for an easy dip

Pesto
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Originating in Genoa, in the Liguria region of Italy, pesto is an uncooked sauce made from fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese and olive oil. Today, pesto is made with a variety of other ingredients besides basil. Roasted red bell peppers, arugula, mint and olives are all wonderful foundations for the sauce. Often tossed with cooked pasta, pesto is also delicious served on crostini, spooned onto grilled seafood or chicken, or tucked inside steaks before cooking.

3 to 4 Tbs. pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
2 to 3 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
10 to 15 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1⁄4 cup grated pecorino cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine the pine nuts and garlic. Process to chop coarsely. Add about half of the basil and process to chop coarsely. Add the remaining basil, the parsley and olive oil and process until a thick green sauce forms. If the sauce is too thin, add more basil or parsley; if it is too thick, add more olive oil.

Add the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Process briefly. Pour into a glass jar or other container and top with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the surface from discoloring. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 1⁄2 cups.

Tags: basil, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, pecorino cheese, pesto, pine nuts