Author: The Pesto Monster

Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

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These muffins are flourless and sweetened with maple syrup and honey so they make an easy, grab-and-go breakfast or a healthy snack. I mixed in chocolate chips but you can leave them out or substitute dried fruit, nuts, etc.!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time Required: 30 minutes

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 12 muffin cups
  2. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into your blender and blend until smooth
  3. Fold in chocolate chips
  4. Evenly distribute batter into 12 muffin cups and bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Polenta Fries

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These polenta fries are crispy, savory and so delicious! They require some prep time (1+ hour in the freezer) but trust me, they are worth it. The combination of garlic, sage and parmesan make these incredibly addicting and the garlic lemon aioli (also seen with the zucchini chips last week!) puts it over the top.

Polenta Fries

Total Time Required: 2 hours

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry polenta
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Directions

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add in polenta, garlic, 1/4 cup parmesan, salt & pepper
  2. Stir for several minutes until creamy
  3. Turn off heat and cover for several minutes
  4. Line a square (I used 9×9) baking pan with parchment paper and pour in polenta, spreading evenly
  5. Freeze for at least 1 hour
  6. Preheat oven to 425
  7. Remove from freezer and cut polenta first into quarters and then each quarter into ~8 fries
  8. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 30-45 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and crispy
  9. Add chopped sage to melted butter and once fries are finished baking, pour butter mixture and 1/4 cup parmesan over fries
  10. Serve hot and enjoy!

Garlic Lemon Aioli

Total Time Required: 35 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yields: 1/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and cover
  2. Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes until ready to serve

Zucchini Chips with Garlic Lemon Aioli

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Is anyone else surprised by how versatile zucchini is? You can throw it on the grill for a quick side dish, spiralize it into noodles, bake it into brownies, or in this case, make chips!

This recipe might’ve been easier if I had a mandolin but instead I used the slicing side of a standing cheese grater and it worked great. I think the size of the “chips” would’ve been more consistent with the mandolin but mine turned out totally fine! It does take some time to bake these in the oven so be sure to keep that in mind!

Zucchini Chips

Total Time Required: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Yields: 3 cups zucchini chips

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-sized zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt & pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 225
  2. Cut off ends of zucchini and slice zucchini into even, thin discs (using a mandolin or slicing side of standing cheese grater)
  3. Place slices between paper towel sheets and dab away excess moisture
  4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange zucchini slices so they are close but do not overlap (they will shrink in the oven)
  5. Using a pastry brush, coat top of zucchini slices with a layer of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  6. Bake for 1.5-2 hours or until zucchini chips are brown and crispy

Garlic Lemon Aioli

Total Time Required: 35 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yields: 1/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and cover
  2. Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes until ready to serve

Grilled Turkey Burgers & Kale Chips

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Turkey burgers and kale chips are a great healthy alternative to the traditional burger and fries. Both recipes are simple to make and come together in under 45 minutes. It is a perfect meal for a summer evening!

Grilled Turkey Burgers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time Required: 40 minutes

Yields: 4 burgers

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced (we caramelized the other half and used as a topping!)
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. Turn grill onto medium heat
  2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
  3. Form into 4 patties
  4. Grease grill and add patties, cooking for 6-10 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees
  5. Add buns to grill face down until they are lightly charred
  6. Add cheese, caramelized onions or any other toppings you like on your burger!

Kale Chips

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total Time Required: 20 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 head of Kale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Wash and dry kale well
  3. Cut leaves from stem and cut into 2-4 inch pieces
  4. Place kale pieces in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add garlic powder, salt & pepper and toss thoroughly
  5. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add kale
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until kale is crispy but not yet browned

Caprese Salad

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A Caprese salad is the perfect summer side and with only a few ingredients, comes together in under 10 minutes! This salad is always a crowdpleaser and pairs well with a variety of main dishes. We had this with steak on the grill and orzo with pesto.

Total Time Required: 10 minutes

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 tomatoes
  • 16 oz mozzarella
  • 10-15 basil leaves
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Balsamic Glaze (optional)

Directions

  1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into discs with relatively even widths
  2. On a platter, alternate laying tomato, mozzarella and basil (either one small leaf or half of a larger leaf)
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze and season with salt & pepper
  4. Serve cold and enjoy!

Trail Mix Cookies

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I’m so excited to share this recipe today! These cookies are definitely indulgent but great for a special occasion or to bring to serve a crowd. You can also freeze this dough so you can easily pop a few cookies in the oven instead of making the entire batch at once.

The mix-ins include white chocolate, dark chocolate, pecans and dried cherries so every bite you take tastes slightly different. The dough incorporates nutmeg and cinnamon so you also get a slight gingerbread-like taste. I also love adding oatmeal to cookie doughs for a chewier texture!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time Required: 1 hour 30 minutes

Yields: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup dried cherries
  • Sea salt flakes

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
  2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream butter, sugar and brown sugar
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla
  4. Slowly beat in flour mixture until just combined
  5. Stir in chocolate, pecans, oats and dried cherries
  6. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and spread on an ungreased cookie sheet
  7. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour
  8. Remove from freezer and sprinkle sea salt flakes on top of the cookies
  9. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown

Classic Pesto

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Today I’m sharing a recipe for classic pesto! As you may have gathered, pesto is one of my favorite ingredients and I always have a jar in my refrigerator but I definitely prefer homemade pesto with fresh basil to any store-bought option.

This recipe calls for 5 cups of basil leaves but it can easily be scaled down to use whatever quantity you have.

Total Time Required: 20 minutes

Yields: 3 1/2 cups pesto

Ingredients

  • 5 cups basil leaves, packed tightly
  • 1 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/4 cup graded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Toast the pine nuts lightly on the stove and set aside
  2. Wash and dry basil leaves and add to food processor bowl
  3. Add olive oil and pulse until the basil starts to puree
  4. Add garlic, toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper and process until smooth, wiping down the sides of the bowl halfway through
  5. Add parmesan cheese and process until incorporated
  6. Pour pesto into container for storage and cover lightly with olive oil (keeps the pesto green!)

Pesto freezes well so we used ice cube trays to separate the pesto into smaller portions for easier use but if you plan to use it sooner, store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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You’d never know this hearty banana bread is made from healthier alternatives such as whole wheat flour, oats, maple syrup and Greek yogurt. This bread makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time Required: 1.5 hours

Yields: 10 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 medium over-ripe bananas
  • 2/3 cup maple syrup
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (or other milk)
  • 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes
  3. Line 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and toasted oats
  5. In a large bowl, mash bananas and whisk in maple syrup, melted butter, almond milk and Greek yogurt. Whisk in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract
  6. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until just combined
  7. Stir in chocolate chips
  8. Bake for 30 minutes, cover with aluminum foil and bake for additional 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean
  9. Let cool and serve!

Homemade Bagels

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I love bagels but never thought about trying to make them at home. One morning during quarantine I woke up with a craving and motivation to finally try to make them and I am so glad I did! I have since made 2 more batches have really enjoyed both the process and the resulting bagels. The bulk of the time required for this recipe is waiting for the dough to rise so don’t be too intimidated by the time required!

This recipe does call for a stand mixer. You could kneed the dough by hand for an extra few minutes for a similar result.

Feel free to add any toppings you like! I always gravitate to everything bagels but I’ve also topped them with shredded cheddar and graded parmesan and both were fantastic.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time Required: 3 hours

Yields: 8 bagels

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg
  • Choice of toppings: Everything bagel seasoning, shredded cheese

Directions

  1. Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a standing mixer, add yeast to warm water, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir until dissolved
  2. Prepare the dough: Add flour, brown sugar and salt to the bowl with the yeast and beat in a stand mixer for 2 minutes
  3. Kneed the dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and with floured hands, kneed dough for 5 minutes
  4. Let the dough rise: Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn the dough to coat on all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 60-90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size
  5. Preheat oven to 425
  6. Shape the bagels: Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll each piece into a ball and use your thumb to create a hole in the center and stretch out evenly until you have a ring
  7. Boil the bagels: Fill a wide pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and place bagels in the water (I do 4 at a time). Boil on each side for 2 minutes and then place on a greased cookie sheet
  8. Add the toppings: Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the egg wash on each bagel. Sprinkle on toppings
  9. And finally, bake: Bake for 20 minutes or until the bagels are golden brown

I added egg, cheese and spinach to mine to make a breakfast sandwich!

Creamy Corn Salad

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This salad is great side for a summer dinner and incorporates staple ingredients you probably already have in the fridge! We served this with steak but it would also be perfect with fish or chicken on the grill. Enjoy!

Time Required: 15 minutes

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of frozen corn (or corn from 6 ears of corn)
  • 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 4 ounces of goat cheese
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

  1. Cook corn according to instructions on bag and let cool for 5-10 minutes
  2. Cut cherry tomatoes into quarters and place in a large bowl
  3. Cube the avocados and add to the bowl
  4. Add the corn to the bowl and stir in goat cheese. The slightly warm corn will melt the goat cheese to coat the salad
  5. Whisk together white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over the salad

While I enjoyed this salad as a side, I was even more pleased with the leftovers. The following day for lunch I started with a bed of arugula, added one scoop of the corn salad and 2 slices of turkey breast and topped with a dollop of pesto. The result was a sweet and salty salad that kept me full for hours. 

I will definitely be doubling the recipe next time to have more leftovers!