Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

         One of my favorite parts of the spring and early summer is enjoying a nice slice of strawberry rhubarb pie. The strawberries add just enough sweetness to help cut the tart flavor from the rhubarb, and the combination of the two together can not be beaten. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it. Yummm.  When I saw rhubarb at the store this week I had to pick some up. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time or ingredients to make a pie. So instead I came up with an almost perfect substitution... Stawberry Rhubarb Sauce. 

           My Strawberry Rhubarb sauce was the perfect replacement. It is basically all the goodness of the pie filling, without the crust. And I promise you will not miss it once you taste a spoonful of this sauce. And even better, the sauce only contains four ingredients and takes a total of 20 minutes to prepare and cook. An all around winning recipe if you ask me!

 

     I have been adding the sauce to just about anything. In the morning, I have it with my yogurt and some granola. It is almost like eating dessert for breakfast but without all the guilt. The sauce would be great on top of pancakes, waffles, or toast as a substitute for jam. It even tastes amazing on oatmeal or as a topping for ice cream, which my hubby has been enjoying. You decide. The options are endless!

Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

Servings: 16 (1/4 cup per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries
• 1 pound rhubarb
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

1. Core strawberries and cut into quarters, then cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces.

2. Add strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice and honey into a large sauce pan. Cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking. (Makes about 4 cups)

3. Let cool then store in glass jars. *

*Sauce will thicken when cooled. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks or in the freezer for 3 months. 

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Roasted Asparagus and Ricotta Crostini with Pea Pesto

       I've got another delicious appetizer for you that has spring written all over it! I am a huge fan of asparagus, and love that you can find it in just about any grocery store this time of year. Asparagus is packed with flavor and is a great source of vitamin K and folate. And at only 25 calories a serving, how can you say no?!
       Peas on the other hand, I could take them or leave them.  As a kid the only way I would eat peas was if they were frozen.  Today I am still picky when it comes to peas but have recently discovered pea pesto and may have been converted. I mean, add garlic and Parmesan cheese to anything and it will taste good! Peas are also a great source of protein, fiber and are packed with antioxidants.

    I used the pea pesto to make a quick crostini with ricotta and leftover roasted asparagus, and it was all done in 5 minutes or less!  The pea pesto was also great later used as a dressing mixed with roasted vegetables and to add color and flavor to a white pizza.

     Also, I have to thank my cousin Liz for giving me a food photography lesson and helping me take these awesome pictures. She is an extremely talented photographer and her work always amazes me! You should check her out at Purestyle Photography.

Roasted Asparagus and Ricotta Crostini with Pea Pesto

Makes about 4 servings ( 1 serving = 3 Crostini)

Ingredients

• 12 asparagus stalks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 french baguette
• 3/4 cup pea pesto (see recipe below)
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Pea Pesto:

• 1 cup peas, thawed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. For the pea pesto. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend on high until smooth. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto)

2. For the asparagus. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss asparagus in olive oil, salt, pepper then place on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool then cut each stalk into three equal pieces. 

3. Slice baguette into 1/2 inch pieces.  Lightly toast, then spread with 1 tablespoon of pea pesto, 1 tablespoon of ricotta, then top with asparagus. 

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Dill Quinoa with Fava Beans

    This months recipe redux theme is "Spring Cleaning".  I'll admit I needed some motivation to get that done myself. School and work have takien over my life and cleaning has taken a back seat. My poor fridge and pantry have definitely taken a big hit. So disorganized! I was able to find some great odds and ends to use up and, with the addition of some seasonal ingredients and some inspiration from one of my favorite persian dishes, I came up with a recipe for Dill Quinoa with Fava Beans. That persian rice dish is "Baghali Polo", which literally translates to dill rice. Typically it uses basmati rice, fresh dill and lima beans. For a seasonal spin I used fava beans instead of lima beans and I used left over quinoa instead of rice. 

                           

     Fava beans are a spring vegetable also known as broad beans. The beans come in pods, are edible once their waxy outer coating is removed, and are packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins and minerals. 

     To cook them remove the seeds from the pod, blanch in boiling water to soften, then remove the beans waxy outer skin. If you want to save yourself a step and some time, you can also find fava beans in the freezer aisle of most grocery stores already shelled. The beans go great in a salad, rice or quinoa dish, or can be mashed and used as a dip or spread.

       I added all the ingredients together then added on some left over shrimp for more color, texture, and flavor.  This dish is delicious warm, but is even better the next day cold!  Overall this was the perfect dish to use up some left over ingredients, and I was able to add in a little spring freshness by adding the fava beans.

Dill Quinoa with Fava Beans
servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups fava beans
• 1 1/2 cups of dill, diced finely 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice from 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook quinoa per package directions.

2. For fava beans. Remove beans from pod. Blanch beans in boiling water for 30 seconds, remove and place in ice water to stop cooking. Then remove the outer wax coat from the beans. You can also used frozen shelled fava beans, just remove from package and thaw.

3. Combine dill, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt/pepper in a small bowl.

4. Once quinoa cooked add in fava beans and dill dressing and mix to combine.
5. Top with shrimp if desired. 

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