Creamy Tortellini Pasta Salad

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Crackers

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, or a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flours
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup water
Optional topping: 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 teaspoon sea salt

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F: Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 450°F. Sprinkle a baking sheet lightly with flour and set aside.
  2. Mix together the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
  3. Add the oil and water: Add the oil and water to the flour mixture. Stir until a soft, sticky dough is formed. If a lot of loose flour remains in the bottom of the bowl and the surface of the dough, add more water a tablespoon at a time until all the flour is incorporated.
  4. Divide and shape the dough into a square: Divide the dough into two halves and set one half aside. Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour and set the other half on top. Pat it into a thick square with your hands.
  5. Roll out the dough: Working from the center of the dough out, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 1/8-inch thick or thinner. If the dough starts to shrink back as you roll it, let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes and then continue rolling.
  6. Sprinkle dough with topping (optional): Brush the surface of the dough very lightly with water. Combine the seeds in a small bowl and sprinkle half of them (roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons) evenly over the surface of the dough. See Additional Notes below for additional ideas for toppings and flavorings.
  7. Cut the dough into cracker-sized rectangles: Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into individual crackers roughly 1-inch by 2-inches. Alternatively, cut the crackers into squares, diamonds, or use cookie cutters.
  8. Transfer crackers to baking sheet and prick with fork: Transfer the crackers to the baking sheet using a metal dough scraper or spatula. It’s fine to crowd the crackers very close to each other. Prick each cracker with the tines of a fork to prevent them from puffing during baking.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes: Bake the crackers in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are browned. Thinner crackers will bake more quickly than thicker ones; you can remove the crackers as they brown to your liking and continue baking the rest. While the first batch of crackers is baking, roll out and cut the remaining dough.
  10. Cool and store the crackers: Transfer the baked crackers to a wire rack to cool completely. The crackers will crisp further as they cool. Store the crackers in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days. If you’re crackers are a little old and less-than-crispy, lay them on a baking sheet and put them in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to re-crisp.

Farro Salad

2 large shallots (or 1 sweet onion), finely chopped
2 cups farro (uncooked)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 large English cucumber, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the farro and cook, stirring to coat each grain, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until farro is soft but still chewy in the center, about 12 minutes. (If there is more than a tablespoon or two of leftover stock, strain it out.)
Cool the farro to room temperature. Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil, and stir to combine. Fold in tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil. Season with salt and pepper, and adjust vinegar and oil amounts to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Blueberry Energy Balls

  • 2 cups nuts
  • 1 cup dates
  • 1 cup dried blueberries
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon, juice of half a lemon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  1. Add nuts to food processor. Process until nuts are pea-sized.
  2. Combine nuts with dates and dried blueberries and process until all ingredients have broken down and are a bit sticky.
  3. Add in lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract.
  4. Process until all ingredients come together to form 1 large sticky ball.
  5. Roll into small balls and store in fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer.

Kale Salad (MOM)

1/2   cup lemon juice
1     tbsp. canola oil
1     tbsp. olive oil
1     tsp. sugar
1/2  tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1     Bunch of Kale (shredded)
1     Large tomato (chopped)
1/2   cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2   cup Dried cranberries or raisins
Whisk lemon juice, oil, sugar , salt and pepper together in a large bowl.    Add Kale,  tomato, sunflower seeds and cranberries and toss.