Know what else is nice? The ritual of it. I’d forgotten about how relaxing it is to grab the paper out of the driveway (our 5-year-old always helps – nightgown, mermaid slippers, and all), sit down with a cup of coffee, and snap open the paper. Sure, there are some stories here and there that are tough for sensitive-ol’-me to stomach, but they’re pretty easy to pass over in print if I need to.

Last week, I found myself looking forward to Sunday morning way more than usual, because I knew there would be a bit fat Sunday paper waiting for us to read while we sipped our coffee. Yeah, it’s a little different with the kiddo right there wanting to “read” with me, but still. Loving it.

I’ve also found that these Banana-Walnut Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats fit right in alongside the coffee and newspaper. It’s such a simple breakfast to whip up, and I like the idea of nourishing my body while I feed my mind. (I know, that makes me sound like a dork. But I am a dork, so. 🙂 )

I’ve been making steel cut oats in then Instant Pot for just about as long as I’ve owned one. So, you know, about 4 months or so. But I am in love with how steel-cut oats cook up in the pressure cooker – relatively fast, super creamy, perfect texture.

I thought I’d doctor up a batch with bananas for some natural sweetness, plus, for a nice dose of healthy goodness,  all of the plant-based omega-3-rich foods I had in my cupboard. Chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, and walnuts, baby. Done and done.

I should note that I’ve never been a huge fan of walnuts (in some forms, they’re probably my least favorite food – and I wholeheartedly believe they should never go near a chocolate chip cookie). But when they’re chopped fine I can tolerate them – and sometimes I even toast up a few to add as a topper. In this recipe, I’m good with walnuts. Tiny ones.

Creamy, healthy, full of omega-3s, and just darn tasty. Start spreading the news! (Sorry, sorry.)

(more…)

The post Instant Pot Omega-3 Banana Walnut Steel Cut Oats appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

My friend Megan is a seriously hard-working mama of two adorable (and busy!) girls. A version of this recipe appears in her family’s regular simple-weeknight-meal rotation, and it’s easy to tell why: it’s a cinch to put together, it’s delicious, and, well … it’s delicious. She even brought us all the fixings to whip up a welcome batch of Pesto Pasta when we were fresh home from the hospital with our newborn a few months back. We love Megan.

Megan’s version uses basil pesto, and it’s terrific. For this variation, I used kale and toasted walnut pesto for a slight variation in flavor along with some nutrient-loaded, omega-3 superfood power.

(“Nutrient-loaded, omega-3 superfood power” means you can eat a little more pasta than you normally would, and it’s totally justified.)

Freeze that pesto!

I like to make one big patch of pesto then freeze in muffin tins. It thaws beautifully, and having the pesto ready-made makes this dish even easier to put together in a hurry. Store-bought pesto can work great, too.

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Easy Kale Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

Perfectly al dente bow tie pasta tossed with garlicky, nutrient-rich pesto and juicy cherry tomatoes and then flecked with Parmesan cheese makes the perfect easy weeknight meal.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

Kale & Toasted Walnut Pesto:

• 1/2 cup plain walnuts
• 2 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups kale chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + a couple additional tablespoons for sprinkling on top
• Approx. 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pesto Pasta:

• 8 ounces bow tie pasta
• 1/2 cup kale & toasted walnut pesto
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the pesto:

• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top to press the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
• With the food processor running on low, pour the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the pesto pasta:

• Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, per package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta, then let cool for a few minutes.
• Add the pasta to a large serving bowl along with 1/2 cup of the pesto, cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Toss until combined, adding a bit of the pasta cooking liquid if necessary which will help distribute the pesto throughout the pasta.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese atop the pasta and serve at room temperature.

The post Easy Kale & Toasted Walnut Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.