Meatless Monday: Spaghetti Squash And Sunflower Pesto Salad, San Marzano Tomatoes and Gem Lettuce & Pomegranate Salad Plate

Fall is coming but not quite yet here...

Stalls at the market are starting to show the transition, with the first squashes appearing, while tomatoes and other summer produce are still keeping strong. I was lucky enough to find some amazing San Marzano Tomatoes, a variety known for its sweetness, at my Local Market (at my usual Italian produce vendor La Tercera). I also walked home with the first spaghetti squash, a gem lettuce, some herbs and a discovery: white pomegranates.

White pomegranates, aside from being quite still-painting pretty, are deliciously sweet, even though they lack the "pomegranateness" of their pink sis, which I also got for comparison.

So Meatless Monday was very centered on this last Farmers Market run. The spaghetti squash was roasted whole, with a few holes poked through the skin, at 450F for about 45' (until soft to the touch, and a little charred). It was then cut into halves, deseeded and the flesh was scooped out and left to cool down. Once cool, the flesh was mixed with a few tablespoons of the sunflower buds spread/pesto I recently posted about, a small jar of butterbeans, a bit extra oil, the juice of one small lemon, a couple tablespoons parsley, salt and pepper.

With the San Marzano tomatoes, I kept things simple: simply sliced along a diagonal, with some finally chopped chervil, salt and pepper.And finally, I prepared a quick gem lettuce, avocado and pomegranate arrangement. Nothing complicated or fussy, but an ever happy combination.

So it was, a nice, low prep. plate for a quick dinner, with lovely flavors and lots of nutrients. And for a sweet finish, real edible gems: Muscat grapes :).

By the way:

• You could replace the butterbeans with chickpeas or navy beans if you are unable to find them.You could also replace the sunflower bud pesto with any type of pesto of your preference.
• I liked chervil on the San Marzano tomatoes but of course, other herbs (parsley, basil, etc) will be great too. 
• This plate is gluten-free and dairy-free but will not be low in FODMAP.

Zucchini Blossoms & Cresta Di Gallo Risotto

It seems like yesterday that I was admiring the first vibrantly colorful zucchini blossoms at my local Farmers Market.

And now, almost at the end of summer, I found myself lucky enough to come back from a Farmers Market run with a dozen of still vibrantly colorful, fresh, sweet and organically grown blossoms.

At that same run, I found that Cresta Di Gallo, an edible chrysanthemum green, had made a come back at the same stall where I got the Squash Blossoms. This stall, La Tercera, is a delight of delicious and unusual Italian varietal offerings.

Staying in line with the Italian theme, I decided to make a simple late summer risotto, light, uncomplicated, and comforting for those end of summer evenings where the sun starts going down way too early already.

I started by sautéing 1 couple tbsp diced onions and a small garlic clove (left whole to remove it after cooking) in a little olive and vegetal oil - some Italians will actually find it sacrilege to mix onions and garlic in the same dish: please forgive if you are in that camp! I then added 1 & 1/2 cup arborio rice and sautéed it also until translucent, and started adding hot water, little by little, until the rice was on the verge of being cooked al-dente. At that point, I added 1/4 cup finely chopped cresta di gallo, and 10 squash blossoms chopped into small slices. I included the stems which were incredibly sweet and flavorful. I adjusted the seasoning one last time and cooked a few more minutes until the rice was ready. Once the dish was served, I sprinkled it with some lightly sautéed pine nuts.

Love how this risotto turned out: light and fresh, with only a few ingredients which could then be fully appreciated. And, what's more, it was kid approved! (always worth trying things :))

By the way:

• The risotto can be finished with a drizzle of olive oil, some cream or butter to your liking, and some cheese - pecorino, parmesan or other italian hard cheese to your taste - if you are so inclined.
• I specifically omitted spices and flavorings but a little vanilla could add a nice subtle touch to this dish too. 
• Cresta di Gallo has (to me at least) a taste reminiscent of chervil so if you do not find it, you can use that easier to locate herb as a replacement.
• I used himalyan salt for the seasoning. Other specialty salt, smoked or maldon salt, will add a nice touch also.
• The base recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and low-FODMAP, and will keep vegan, vegetarian, MeatlessMonday and healthy eaters happy too.