Category: Main Course

Add walnuts to the food processor and finely chop them. Add in broccoli and pulse until minced. Add in olive oil and pulse to combine.

Bring water to a boil and then properly salt it. See the instructions in my video for how to salt your pasta water.

Cook pasta per package instructions.

Melt butter over a medium low heat. Sift in flour and mix to thoroughly combine.

Add sea salt and slowly work in milk. Turn heat up to medium high and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes over a low simmer, reducing heat as needed. The mixture will thicken.

Turn off heat.

Add a handful of the cheese, mix in until fully melted, then add more. You can leave the pan on the burner to assist with melting the cheese. Do not turn the heat back on or you risk the cheese sauce breaking.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out cooked pasta, shaking off all excess water. Transfer to cheese mixture and mix to fully coat. Do not strain or rinse the pasta.

Do until all pasta is mixed into the cheese mixture.

Make sure the egg is fully mixed into the ricotta.

Lay out the strips of zucchini.

Spread the spinach and ricotta mixture on each strip so it makes a thin layer.

Place each roll, one by one, in a baking dish that has about an inch of marinara sauce in the bottom of it.

Top the rolls off with the remaining marinara sauce and some shredded mozzarella.

NOTE: To make this recipe vegan, simply replace the ricotta cheese with a cashew cheese, pureed white beans or mashed potatoes.

Put the dish in the oven to bake for about 30 minutes or so at 425 degrees F, until it bubbles around the edges and the cheese on top is melted.

Prepare the carrots by trimming off the roots and greens. Save the greens. They can be used in the pesto we are about to make, blended into green smoothies, or chopped up in a salad. They are nutritious and high in fiber.

Melt the butter in a shallow dutch oven over a medium heat.

Add the carrots, sauteing them for about 5 minutes, until they have a nice sear on them and begin to soften.

Add in the ½ teaspoon salt, garlic, and vegetable broth.

Increase the heat to medium-high, to bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down for a low simmer and cover.

Add the water to a saucepot and bring to a boil. Add the ¼ teaspoon salt. Only do this once the water is boiling or it may damage your pan.

Add the pearl couscous, turn the heat down for a low simmer, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes until tender.

Let’s make the pesto! Add the kale leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and pine nuts to the bowl of a food processor. Add the olive oil and puree until smooth.

Remove the carrots from the dutch oven. Bring the sauce to a boil to reduce by ½ .

Fluff up the pearl couscous, letting it fully dry out.

Add the couscous and pesto to a mixing bowl and mix until fully coated.

To plate, put a heaping scoop of the couscous on a plate and spread out. Add the braised carrots. Drizzle some of the braising liquid over the top.

Top off with chopped parsley and serve.

In a large saute pan, warm the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the cubed eggplant and the 1/4 cup of water. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and some cracked pepper, and then cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the pureed eggplant to mixing bowl and add in 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon fresh sage, 2 tablespoons fresh basil, 1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 2 ounces of Parmesan, and 2 eggs, beaten.

Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, until they are firm and brown.

When the meatballs are finished baking, add them to the sauce, fully covering them, and then simmer for 5 minutes.

Top with more Parmesan cheese and some parsley.

Enjoy!