Pasta Ponza

Food Network

Ingredients

Butter for greasing
2 cups (12 ounces) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups (12 ounces) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 ounces) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.
Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Amaranth Cereal

Amaranth Cereal Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1/2 cup Amaranth grain

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup water

1/2 cup almond milk

2 tablespoons honey (see substitutes)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Combine water and Amaranth. Bring to a boil then turn heat down and let simmer 20-25 minutes until the water is absorbed. Be watchful at the end of cooking to not burn the seeds. Overcooking turns Amaranth to mush.

Combine cooked Amaranth, almond milk, honey, andcinnamon. Enjoy!

Substitutions and Additions

Agave nectar or brown sugar can be substituted for the honey.

Substitute your favorite milk for the almond milk (soy milk, coconut milk, regular milk, etc.)

Add yogurt for a creamier texture

Play with the topping in this Amaranth recipe, consider adding your favorite fruit instead of the honey and cinnamon.

Amaranth Grits

AMARANTH GRITS

1 cup amaranth
1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups water or vegetable stock
Sea salt or tamari soy sauce to taste
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Garnish: 2 plum tomatoes or 1 large beefstock tomatoes

1. Combine the amaranth, garlic, onion, and stock in a 2 quart saucepan.
Boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered until most of the liquid  has been
absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Stir well. If the mixture is too thin or the amaranth not quite tender
(it should be crunchy, but not gritty hard), boil gently while stirring
constantly until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add salt or tamari to taste.
3. Stir in a few drops of hot sauce, if desired, and garnish with chopped
tomatoes.

Amaranth or Quinoa Stir - Fry

Amaranth or Quinoa Stir-Fry

2 cups cooked amaranth or quinoa

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp seasoning

Sauté veggies, garlic, almonds and seeds in the oil until vegetables are tender crisp. Add soy sauce, seasonings and amaranth or quinoa. Mix well until warmed through.

Amaranth or Quinoa Pudding

Amaranth or Quinoa Pudding  

This quick and wholesome dessert is also elegant and tasty. It tastes suprisingly light compared to rice pudding despite the fact that quinoa is much higher in protein than rice.   

2 cups amaranth or quinoa, cooked

1 cup apple juice

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup almonds, chopped fine

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

juice of 1/2 lemon

grated rind of one lemon

dash of cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a large sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour pudding into individual dessert bowls. Top with a few grapes or strawberries and chill.

Mung Bean, Scallion and Pomegranate Salad

Mung Bean, Scallion and Pomegranate Salad
1 c Dried mung beans
1/2 c Thinly-sliced scallions
1/2 ts Crushed garlic
1/3 c Chopped parsley
3/4 ts Near East or Aleppo pepper
1 ts Salt - (scant tspn); or to taste
1/4 c Fresh lemon juice
1/4 c Fresh pomegranate seeds
Wash the mung beans under running water until the water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 1 hour; drain. In a heavy saucepan, cook the mung beans in 3 1/2 cups water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquor. Allow the mung beans to cool slightly before adding the remaining ingredients. Set aside to mellow a few hours, then correct the seasoning and serve at room temperature. This recipe yields about 3 cups.