Spinach Tortellini Salad

Feeling lazy at lunchtime? Try my spinach tortellini lunch salad!  It's quick - it's easy - it's delicious!

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach tortellini
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, whole
• 1 tablespoon roasted garlic slices
• 1/4 cup olives of your choice
• salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt
2. Strain when cooked through and let cool
3. Toss in a bowl with desired toppings 
4. Sprinkle with salt/pepper to taste
5. Eat cold or at room temperature

Smoked Salmon Crostini

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or appetizer!  These simple smoked salmon crostini taste like a lot of work, but they're very simple to make!

Time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 pack smoked salmon (I use Nova)
• 1 container cream cheese - I use unflavored but you can use flavored if you want, Chives and Onions flavor works really well with this!
• 1 French baguette 
• 1/4 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons capers
• salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Cut baguette into 1/4 inch diagonal slices - bake on 400 for about 10 mins until the slices are crispy
2. Slice tomatoes thinly
3. Spread cream cheese on all slices
4. Top with slices of tomatoes, smoked salmon, and capers
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper
6. Enjoy!

Lamb Burgers

Add these burgers to a sandwich or use them without bread for a simple scrumptious lunch salad!   

Time:  30 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 pack ground lamb (~2 lbs)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more if you like things garlicky)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dark chili powder  
• Salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Mix all the above ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Form burger shapes with your hands - you will need to push a little dent in the middle of each patty with your thumb, so they cook evenly as a patty and don't have a mountain in the middle when they're on the grill.
3. Grill or pan-sear the burgers for about 3 mins on each side or until rare to your liking.
4. Enjoy!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

Simple lunch recipe bursting with flavor!

Time: 30 mins + time for water to boil

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup farfalle (bowtie) pasta (from a box, dried)
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup diced cucumbers (peeled)
• 1/4 cup asiago cheese cubes
• 1/4 cup grape/cherry tomatoes (or as many as you like)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Bunch of fresh or dried basil leaves (if fresh, break them apart to smaller, bite-sized pieces)
• Bunch of fresh cilantro leaves 
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Boil water with about 2 teaspoons of salt
2. Add pasta and cook until al dente (not mushy but cooked through)
3. While the pasta is cooking, mix all other ingredients together in a bowl (except the salt, pepper, and cilantro) - the olive oil will help incorporate everything. 
4. Strain pasta and it to the bowl of mixed ingredients
5. Sprinkle salt/pepper and fresh cilantro if desired.
6. Enjoy!

Truffle Oil Veggie Burger with Homemade Fries

Disclaimer: the burger is not homemade - it's Gardenburger brand (I'll post a homemade veggie burger recipe soon!) but this twist on your typical burger & fries is decadent and EASY!  Thanks to this recipe, I'm obsessed with truffle oil! 

Time:  ~30 mins to depending on if your toppings are pre-sliced.

Ingredients:

• 2 Gardenburger brand veggie burgers (original or flavored, I used original)
• 2 Sesame buns
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil
• 2 slices of pepper-jack cheese (or cheese of your choice)
• Toppings of your choice, I used:
• Baby argula
• Sliced grape tomatoes
• Sliced pepperoncinis
• Salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Grill burger patties (I used a stovetop grill, you can pan-sear them)
2. When the burgers are almost done, add sliced pepper-jack cheese and allow it to melt before removing from the grill. 
3. Brush truffle oil on all sides of the bread, and lightly toast them.
4. Place burgers on buns, layer with your toppings. 
5. Enjoy!

Homemade Fries

Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes, washed and patted dry
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt/pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Slice potatoes on a mandoline with the skinny blades (TIP: slice them long-ways so they look like fries!)  You can use a knife to cut the potatoes, just ensure that they are thin pieces so they cook fast and crispy.
2. Heat oil to medium ~350 and fry the potato slices until almost golden, but just cooked through
3. Strain potatoes out of the pot, let them sit to cool as you fry more.  
4. After about 10 mins, put the fries back in the fryer and raise the heat to medium-high.  The fries will be golden and crispy on the outside, but amazingly soft and delicious on the inside! 
5. Toss with salt and black pepper if desired - you can also add some grate Parmesan cheese if you're feeling adventurous!
6. Enjoy!