Stuffed Eggplants with Herbed Bulgur!

Serves 12

6 small eggplants
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon za'atar spice
1 cup dry bulgur wheat 
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, tightly packed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, tightly packed 
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced (about 2 stalks) 
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wash the eggplants and slice them in half lengthwise. Using a pairing knife, score the eggplant halves with diagonal crosshatches, making sure not to cut through the skin. Drizzle each eggplant half with about a half-tablespoon of olive oil each. Season with the salt, pepper and za'atar spice. Bake, cut-side up, for about 45 minutes or until the eggplants are completely soft.

While the eggplants are baking, place the dry bulgur in a medium-sized bowl and pour boiling water over to cover by 1/2 inch. Place a kitchen towel over the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the towel, fluff the bulgur with a fork, and taste. If the grain is still hard, recover the bowl with the kitchen towel and check back after 5 minutes.

Finely chop the parsley and cilantro. Once the bulgur is soft, drain any excess water. Toss the bulgur with the parsley, cilantro, scallions, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt.

Transfer the cooked eggplants on to a platter and spoon the herbed-bulgur salad over the eggplants. Garnish with extra pomegranate seeds and pine nuts.

Spaghetti with Corn & Parsley Pesto!

Serves 4 to 6

For the pesto:
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano, plus extra to serve
4 cups parsley leaves (tightly packed) 
3/4 cup olive oil 
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pasta:1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh or frozen corn (from 4 ears of corn; defrost frozen corn before using)

Prepare the pesto in a food processor. Start by pulsing the toasted pine nuts until coarsely ground. Add the pecorino, parsley leaves, and olive oil. Pulse a few times, scrape the bowl with a spatula and pulse a few more times, making sure not to over-blend the pesto. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil for the pasta in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced shallots to the pan, and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, or until soft and fragrant. Add the corn kernels and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don't over cook the corn — you want some crunch!

Strain the spaghetti, then transfer it back to the pot. Add the pesto and toss to coat. Fold in the corn mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with extra grated pecorino on top.

Ricotta Spaetzle!

Serves 4

1 cup whole milk ricotta
4 large eggs
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooked bacon, chopped parsley and chives, and olive oil, to serve, if desired

Whisk the ricotta, eggs, and water together until smooth. Whisk in the flour and the salt, along with a sprinkle of black pepper. The batter will be a thick and turgid batter, thicker than pancake batter, but not a stiff dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Scoop the tip of a teaspoon into the batter and drop quickly into the water, pushing the batter off with your finger. Repeat, quickly, until the top layer of water is nearly full of bobbing spätzle. After the dumplings bob to the top of the water, cook for about 2 minutes. Remove one with a slotted spoon. Cut into it and taste to make sure it's done and not liquid inside. (The dumplings will continue to firm up after they are removed from the water.) Serve and eat immediately.

Southwest Quinoa Breakfast Bowl!

Serves 4 to 6

For the dressing:1/4 cup lemon juice
1 small shallot, finely minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the quinoa bowls:1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup (135g) red quinoa
1 small white onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup drained and rinsed canned black beans
3/4 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes (quartered if they’re on the larger side)
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus more to top
1 medium ripe avocado, sliced, for garnish
4 to 6 large eggs (1 egg for each bowl), to top (optional)

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and shallot and set aside for 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and honey and a pinch of salt and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning if you’d like.

Use right away or store the dressing in a jam jar in the fridge.

Make the bowls: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the quinoa, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, and salt and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Uncover, fluff the grains with a fork, and remove from heat. Cover and let to sit for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine black beans, tomato, corn, and cilantro. Fold in cooked quinoa. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to eat.

To serve: Portion the quinoa into 4 bowls and top with a few slices of avocado, and a sprinkling of cilantro. If you’d like, top with a soft-boiled egg (or a runny fried egg)

For perfect soft-boiled eggs, head on over to our tutorial for suggestions on cook time and easy no-fail tips.

Recipe Notes

• If planning to make ahead, wait to slice the avocado until right before serving.
• To dress it up: If you have a bit more time, I love to sauté a little zucchini to go in the bowl or some hearty greens. Additionally, some cojita or feta cheese would be a really nice touch.

Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps!

Serves 4

10 large eggs
1/2 pound (about 5 cups) baby spinach
4 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas (about 9-inches in diameter)
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Butter or olive oil
Salt
Pepper

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until the whites and yolks are completely combined. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add enough butter or olive oil to coat the bottom. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, pour in the eggs and stir occasionally until the eggs are cooked. Stir in a pinch of salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then transfer to a large plate to cool to room temperature.

Rinse or wipe down the skillet, place it back over medium heat, and another pat of butter or oil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is just wilted. Spread the cooked spinach on another large plate to cool to room temperature.

Arrange a tortilla on a work surface. Add about a quarter each of the eggs, spinach, tomatoes, and feta down the middle of the tortilla and tightly wrap (See How To Wrap a Burrito). Repeat with the remaining three tortillas. Place the wraps in a gallon zip-top back and freeze until ready to eat. If freezing for more than a week, wrap the burritos in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, microwave on high for two minutes.

Recipe Notes

• I usually prefer soft scrambled eggs, but find the process overly fussy for a wrap I'll be freezing. If you're eating these fresh, though, give it a try!
• Microwave times may vary, but two minutes works for us.

How To Make 2-Ingredient Nutella Brownies!

Makes 9 brownies

What You Need

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup Nutella (slightly less than a whole 13-ounce jar)
Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts

Equipment
8 x 8-inch baking dish
Parchment paper
Nonstick spray or oil
Measuring cups and spoons
Microwave-safe bowl or cup
Stand mixer or hand-mixer
Mixing bowl
Spatula

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F: Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack placed in the middle position.
2. Line the baking dish with parchment: Cut a length of parchment and lay it in your baking dish with the ends hanging over the sides of the dish like flaps. Spray the parchment and sides of the baking dish with cooking spary. (A light spray of cooking spay under the parchment will also help hold it secure.)
3. Begin whisking the eggs: Crack all 4 eggs into the bowl of your stand mixer or your mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs together. Begin on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high (7 on a Kitchenaid).
4. Whisk until the eggs are light and billowy, 6 to 8 minutes: Continue whisking the eggs until they become light lemon-colored and billowy, and are tripled in bulk. This will take 6 to 8 minutes (slightly longer if you're using a handheld mixer). The more billowy your eggs, the better the texture will be in your brownies and the less "eggy" they will taste.
5. Warm the Nutella: While the eggs are whisking, measure the Nutella and transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the Nutella for 1 minute, stopping every 15 seconds to stir the Nutella. When warmed, the Nutella should be loose and creamy.
6. Combine the eggs and Nutella: With the mixer on low speed, drop spoonfuls of Nutella into the egg mixture using a spatula. (With a hand-mixer, add a little at a time and mix in between.) Continue mixing until all the Nutella has been added and the Nutella is thoroughly combined with the eggs.
7. Stir a few times by hand: Use a spatula to stir the mixture by hand a few times, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl where the whisk might have missed.
8. Pour into the prepared pan: Pour the Nutella mixture into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl clean.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes: Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The brownies are done when they start to pull away from the sides of the dish and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes away clean.
10. Let cool: Let the brownies cool as long as you can. They are delicious while still warm from the oven, but will easily fall apart. For sturdy brownies, wait until they are completely cooled before cutting or removing them from the pan.
11. Store for up to a week: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or so.

Recipe Notes

• Cakey Nutella Brownies: For a cakier version of these brownies, use just 2 eggs and add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour or almond flour along with the Nutella.

Slow-Cooker Sausage and Spinach Lasagna!

Serves 6 to 8

6 ounces dry lasagna noodles
Olive oil
1 pound uncooked Italian sausage links
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, or 3 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
15 ounces ricotta cheese
11 ounces fresh baby spinach (one large clamshell case or bag)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil lasagna noodles until softened but still quite al dente and a little crunchy in the middle. Drain and lay the noodles out on a clean kitchen towel.

Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces and sauté in a heated pan with a little oil, if necessary. After a minute or two, add the onion. Continue to cook until the onion has softened and the sausage is slightly browned on all sides.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, and scrape any sticky glaze from the bottom of the pan as the juice bubbles. Add the chicken stock, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.

While the tomato mixture simmers, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and all of the spinach in a bowl. Stir and smash until the spinach is fully incorporated into the cheese. (I also like to add a few shakes of Seasonello.)

Grease a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker lightly with olive oil. Add a heaping cup of the sausage and tomato mixture to the bottom. Follow with one layer of noodles.

Add half of the remaining sausage and tomato mixture, followed by half of the cheese and spinach mixture, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat.

Top with a final layer of noodles, pouring any juices remaining in the sausage pan over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over top.

Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. In the last 30 minutes, sprinkle the Parmesan over top.

Recipe Notes

• If your top layer of noodles starts to curl, open the cooker and press the edges into the liquid with a wooden spoon.
• My family prefers spicy Italian sausage. We have also used chicken sausage in this recipe and had great results.
• Most packages of lasagna noodles are eight ounces. That's okay! After making this three times, you'll have enough leftover noodles to make it again without buying another package.
• Try replacing the tomatoes with canned fire-roasted tomatoes for added flavor.
• We are a full-fat kind of family, but I have accidentally bought part-skim mozzarella and low-fat ricotta, and the lasagna came out just fine.