This is a new twist on a family pasta favorite that I have been making with penne pasta since my kids were little. I updated it by adding wilted spinach and artisinal pasta, for a more grown up appeal.

Ingredients:

salt and pepper
1 pound short pasta of your choice. I found this one at Trader Joe’s
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
1 bag or bunch of spinach washed and trimmed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Parmesan or DF cheese plus more for serving

Directions:

1) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 13-`15 minutes
Drain
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring until just golden, about 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes, oregano and crushed red pepper (if using), 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the tomato juices run..about 3 minutes.
3) Add the cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of parmesan or DF cheese to the skillet and toss to combine.
4) Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss in the spinach until the leaves are wilted.
Add more cheese to taste.
5) Serve immediately.

This Fruit Cobbler, which is adapted from Dawn Russel’s 8Greens Cookbook, is my absolute favorite dessert! It takes absolutely no time to make and is so delicious that you will have it on repeat forever! This dessert can be made vegan and gluten free by substituting gluten free flour for regular flour, and non dairy margarine like Nature’s Balance, for butter. You can also substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar. No matter how you prepare it, the taste is superbly delicious! And while you are at it, check out the 8Greens tablets..they pack quite a healthy punch and boost immunity, among many other things!

Ingredients:

Whatever different fruits you like:
I used blueberries, cherries, strawberries, pineapple and mango
(about 5-6 cups for a 9X11 inch pan)
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 cup flour or gluten free flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter or dairy free margarine
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F

Chop bigger fruit into bite sized pieces, pit the cherries, and mix together the different fruits.

Mix the dry ingredients in bowl, then stir in melted butter and honey.

Cover the bottom of the baking pan with the fruit and sprinkle the cobbler topping over.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes. If the topping gets too brown, tent it with foil and bake until the fruit begins to bubble (about 10 minutes more).

Serve hot or cold, with or without vanilla ice cream!