Fusilloni Pasta with with Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Arugula, and Salami

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I like pasta made of all different shapes and sizes. But recently, I’ve really been digging whole-grain pasta. We’ve all had whole-wheat spaghetti in the past that was terrible, right? Well, I'm happy to report that the pasta world has come a long way as far as innovating ways to make one whole-grain noodles healthier and tastier. 

I made this delicious dish with khorasan kamut, which is delicious with a slightly nutty taste, but still has the same buttery bite you expect from any other fusilloni. Kamut is actually really interesting because it’s nicknamed “King Tut’s Wheat,” since it was found in his tomb according to an ancient legend. Or maybe it’s just interesting to me because I also happen to have a degree in history! But no matter, people have been eating it for ages and it’s cool that it’s getting a revival in this day and age.

Nutritionally, kamut has more protein than modern wheat, and according to one study, if you replace kamut with modern wheat, it may reduce your risk for heart disease by lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and other inflammatory markers. Whether or not you’re willing to replace your grains with kamut because of one study, it’s still interesting to try out! Diversifying the types of foods you eat is always a good thing, and pasta is no exception. 

Fusilloni Pasta with with Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Arugula, and Salami

Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
1/2 head large cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch florets
3 medium roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz hard salami, finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
16 oz fusilloni pasta
5 cups baby arugula, about 5 oz
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F. 

In a large mixing bowl, add cauliflower, tomatoes, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. 

Transfer cauliflower mixture to a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Add salami to cauliflower mixture with sage and garlic. Stir and continue roasting for 10-15 minutes, until cauliflower is golden brown. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilloni and cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and return pasta to pot. 

Transfer cauliflower mixture to the pasta with arugula and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese. Stir in enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten and season with salt and pepper.

Divide pasta between bowls and serve immediately, garnished with remaining parmesan cheese. 

Whole Wheat Croque-Madames with Lox and Arugula

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I absolutely love eggs! My husband and I dove into Whole Wheat Croque-Madames with Lox and Arugula for lunch today because everything is better with an egg on top, am I right?

I can eat eggs at any meal because they not only make me feel great throughout the day thanks to their high-quality protein content, but also because they’re a nutritional powerhouse! Yup, you heard that right!

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines removed the limit on dietary cholesterol and support the consumption of eggs with other nutritiously delicious foods, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Even more fabulous, if you consume eggs with foods containing vitamin E, like a raw mixed-vegetable salad, you absorb more vitamin E, which is amazing for your immune system, skin, and eyes. So if eggs are delicious AND they’re good for you, I think it pretty much sounds like you’ve got nothing to lose when incorporating them into your next meal!

Whole Wheat Croque-Madame with Lox and Arugula

Time: 45 Minutes
Yield: 4 half sandwiches
Serves 4

Ingredients
5 oz baby arugula
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
2/3 cup gruyere cheese, divided
4 slices whole wheat bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 oz Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
2 oz lox or smoked salmon
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large eggs

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add arugula and blanch for 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and cool under cold water. Drain and squeeze out remaining liquid. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add flour, and with a whisk, stir constantly for about 3 minutes. Add milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and continue to stir for about 5 minutes, being careful not to brown. Stir in 2 tablespoons of gruyere until it melts. Remove béchamel sauce from heat and cover with wax paper so that it doesn’t dry out.

Set one oven rack a few inches from the top and preheat the broiler.

Arrange bread slices on a plate and spread about 1 tsp béchamel sauce over 2 slices of bread and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Spread 1 tsp of Dijon on remaining two slices of bread and top each slice with ham, lox, and arugula. Carefully flip the slices with gruyere over the slices with ham to close each sandwich.

Lightly oil a foil-lined medium baking pan.

In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Cook sandwiches for 2 minutes on one side until golden brown. Flip sandwiches over and cook for another 1-2 minutes longer, until golden. Transfer sandwiches to baking pan.

Spread remaining sauce over each sandwich. Broil on the top rack for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce bubbles. Remove from broiler and cover with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Crack two eggs at a time into skillet and fry, spooning over olive oil, until the whites have set, but the yolk is still runny. Transfer to plates and repeat with remaining eggs, adding more oil if necessary.

Cut each sandwich in half to make four half sandwiches. Top sandwich halves with a fried egg. Serve immediately and enjoy!