March 2023

Recipe/ March 27, 2023March 23, 2023

Creamy Ricotta Pasta with Veggies and Pine nuts

Our family likes mac and cheese. But there’s a limit to how many nights in a row that I can make that blue box! I like this recipe because it requires minimal and simple ingredients, plus it changes up the usual tomato sauce that we have in regular rotation. You may only need to pick up 3 or 4 items – like lemon or ricotta, pasta or broccoli for a quick crowd pleasing creamy pasta. Also play around with the vegetables that you include to use up what you have on hand. It’s a great recipe to put in the rotation for meatless Mondays or any day of the week. It’s just one of those dishes that is good any time of year.

Let me know if you try it!

Ingredients and substitutions for this creamy ricotta sauce and pasta recipe

Broccoli florets – break down a whole head of broccoli into small florets or use pre cut and cleaned veggies.
Fresh lemon – we’re using both the zest and the juice in this recipe so go with fresh
Pasta – I like short pasta with a shape that will catch the sauce. We’ve had it with rotini and pasta shells and it was great! It will also work with whole grain, brown rice or quinoa pasta. Use whichever your family likes.
Ricotta cheese – I’m suggesting a part skim ricotta cheese to help limit saturated fat, which also helps reduce total calories. You could absolutely use a whole milk ricotta for a richer and creamer dish. I like ricotta cheese because it adds a bit of protein too.
Salt and pepper – use these to season your pasta and sauce as you cook. The final result will be bland if you don’t!

Handful of basil – I love using fresh if I have it, but you could also use frozen and mix it in with the ricotta for a herby version!
Optional – chili flakes, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. If you don’t have them, don’t worry. If you do have them, use these to top the finial dishes before serving. You could even used up crumbled bacon and frozen peas for a traditional combo.

How to make creamy ricotta pasta step by step

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Then zest and juice the lemon into a small bowl and set aside.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente. Two minutes before it’s al dente, add the broccoli and let cook for last two minutes.
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when you drain the pasta and broccoli.
Mix lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 cup ricotta cheese. You can use a food processor or just mix really well with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the pasta reaches 2 minutes less than al dente, add the broccoli florets and cook for the remaining 2 minutes.
Return the hot pasta and broccoli to the pot. Add the ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup pasta water. Stir, adding more pasta water as needed, until the sauce coats and clings to the pasta. Taste and season with black pepper and Parmesan cheese, basil and red pepper flakes and pine nuts if desired.

The best part is you can also substitute any other vegetables you have on hand. Even leftover roasted cauliflower, and carrots could mix in well here.

What to serve with creamy ricotta pasta

The nice thing is you really don’t need to serve anything else, but if you wanted to go the extra step here are a few ideas.

simple side salad
roasted chickpeas
roasted chicken or pork chops
sautéed greens
fresh diced tomatoes

How to store creamy ricotta pasta

If we have leftovers I like to store them in quart containers and then reheat in a pan with a little chicken broth or water to revive the sauce. Once the pasta comes down to room temperature, store it in an airtight container for up to three days.

Nutrition and macros

I make this recipe with brown rice pasta or traditional wheat pasta. But you could use the sauce over palm noodles or zucchini spirals if you needed to follow a low carb or lower calorie diet.

337calories

5g Fat 62g Carb 11g Pro 3g Fiber

Creamy Ricotta Pasta

Super fast and nearly one pot meal for any day of the week

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 12

Total Time 17

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 337 kcal

Equipment

1 large pot
1 food processor or large bowl

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets
1 each lemon zest and juice
1 pound pasta any kind you like
1 handful fresh basil
red pepper flakes, parmesan and pine nuts optional

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Then zest and juice the lemon into a small bowl and set aside.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. Two minutes before it’s al dente, add the broccoli and let cook for last two minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water when you drain the pasta and broccoli.
Mix lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 cup ricotta cheese. You can use a food processor or just mix really well with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the pasta reaches 2 minutes less than al dente, add the broccoli florets and cook for the remaining 2 minutes.
Return the pasta and broccoli to the pot. Add the ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup pasta water. Stir, adding more pasta water as needed, until the sauce coats and clings to the pasta. Taste and season with black pepper and Parmesan cheese, basil and red pepper flakes and pine nuts if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Me

I’m Melanie.

I’m a chef, registered dietitian, foodie, wife and mom.
If you’re looking for quick and healthy meal inspiration that supports your health goals while feeding the rest of your family (including the kiddoes) well, then you’ve come to the right place!

Articles/ March 23, 2023March 20, 2023

How to grate carrots without a grater – there’s always a way

orange carrots and white icing cake on white chopping board

If you want to make a carrot cake but find that you don’t have pre-shredded carrots, and you don’t have a traditional box grater either – there are a few things you can do to get the job done. Keep reading for the best way to grate carrots in a pinch. No one will ever know!

Tools you could use to make grated carrots

There are all different types of graters so, although you may not have a box grater or hand grater, there are a lot of things you can do to get your carrots down to the right size for your recipe. You may be surprised the simple kitchen equipment you need is already on hand! Thin slices of carrots for your carrot kale muffins or your other carrot favorite recipes are just minutes away!

vegetable peeler
cheese grater or micro plane grater
julienne peeler
shredding blade on mandolin
small food processor with shredding disc accessory
a sharp knife

How to make grated carrots

My first choice would be to use a mini food processor with a grating plate, because this is probably the easiest way. I try to use this kitchen appliance any chance I get, because it always gets the job done with minimal effort. All you need to do is add your carrots through the top shoot of the processor and let the plate do its job while you hit the pulse button. It will shred carrots for you!

If that’s not an option – I’d go for my vegetable peeler. Over a cutting board, run the peeler in a downward motion starting at the larger end of the carrot and ending at the pointed end of the carrot. Just like you would if you were going to peel it. It will make long thin strips. Then you can run your knife over them and cut them down to small thin pieces. It’s a great way to break your carrot down into small pieces with limited equipment!

The next method you could try is your microplane. This is a hand held grater that has small holes, similar to the large holes of the box grater. The main difference with with this tool is that your carrots will come out very fine, possibly mushy, so proceed with caution.

A julienne peeler will shred your large carrots into thin strips which means with a little bit of effort from your knife, you can chop them down to smaller pieces and get similar results to your box grater.

The best method will come down to which tools you have at home because there are truly a bunch of different ways to shred fresh carrots.

Use carrot shred immediately, but extra can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. Try using them in muffins, breads, scones, meatloaf or quiche.

If whole carrots are more your thing – try these vegan carrot dogs! They’re excellent!

About Me

I’m Melanie.

I’m a chef, registered dietitian, foodie, wife and mom.
If you’re looking for quick and healthy meal inspiration that supports your health goals while feeding the rest of your family (including the kiddoes) well, then you’ve come to the right place!

Articles/ March 20, 2023January 18, 2024

Keep Your Nespresso Vertuo Machine Fresh: Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide

If you’re like me, you’re reading this because you’ve never cleaned your Nespresso coffee machine!

Since starting the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, with intermittent fasting, my morning coffee time has been more important than ever. I wake up early when the rest of the house is asleep, make my coffee and catch up on reading, or writing in total quiet! I love resetting my day like this, but was truthfully stumped when I realized that I never thought to clean my machine! If you follow me on IG, you know I post my coffee in stories almost every day!

I realized my fatal mistake when having coffee with coworkers. A friend mentioned how much she love her Nespresso coffee maker and that cleaning it on a regular basis wasn’t so bad… when my mouth dropped! I’ll admit it, I have never run the descaling process on my Breville Nespresso Vertuo model. But I have to give myself grace – my machine didn’t have an unpleasant smell, my morning coffee tasted the same as always and I didn’t have a warning light!

To my credit, I have wiped the outside with a damp cloth and have always kept the water and discard bins clean – but regular cleaning was not in my rotation. Oops!

Jump to Recipe

We’ll talk through removing obvious dirt like old coffee grounds, how to turn on the descaling mode and what you should use to clean a dirty machine to keep your coffee tasting delicious! In addition to improving the taste of your coffee it will extend the life of your machine, keeping it in good condition.

How Often Should You Clean Your Machine?

This is my machine here.

The general rule for all espresso machines is to clean them every few months, or when you notice that the indicator light color has changed from green to orange. If you use your Nespresso Vertuo every day, then cleaning it once every two months should suffice. Just make a note of your cleaning schedule if you have the Breville model because you won’t get an indicator light.

Jump to Recipe

Clean the Used Capsule and Water Reservoir

Clean the outside of these containers with a clean microfiber cloth. You can use lemon juice or white vinegar with water as a quick and effective solution. Use dish soap and water to remove any mineral deposits in the water reservoir, especially if you have hard water. The used coffee pod container may have a bit more build up from coffee residue, but can easily be removed with the cleaning process. Let both air dry before returning to the machine.

Cleaning the Drip Tray

Next you’ll want to start by removing the drip tray from beneath your machine and emptying any residual water into the sink. Then, wash and rinse it with warm water and a mild detergent. Let it air dry before returning it to the machine. Make sure to empty and clean the drip tray after each use.

Jump to Recipe

Descaling Cycle

The Nespresso website recommends that you descale your machine regularly. About every three months or every 300 pods, whichever comes first. It’s an important step to remove build-up of coffee oils that can build up over a long time.

(Most) Nespresso Vertuo have an automatic descaling system that will alert you when they need attention—the orange indicator light comes on when this happens. The descaling cycle can be activated in just a few steps: first, fill up the water tank with fresh tap water (though filtered or bottled water is recommended – not soapy water). Next, open the capsule container lid at the top of your machine and press the button for “descale” until you hear a beep; at this point, close the lid and press start. Once finished, discard any remaining water in the container and run two more cycles without adding any additional ingredients or capsules—this will ensure that all residue is removed from inside your machine.

The Breville cleaning system is just a bit different. There’s no colored indicator light, and there’s no button inside the top of the machine. Instead, start by by filling the water reservoir with clean water. Then place a 20oz container under the spout. Close the capsule container lid at the top of the machine and press the button 3 times within 2 seconds to initiate the cleaning cycle. Keep your container in place for up to 5 minutes as water runs through the system. Once finished, discard any remaining water in the container and run two more cycles without adding additional ingredients or capsules.

Do You Need Special Cleaning Products?

No! You don’t need special cleaners or chemicals when cleaning your Nespresso Vertuo; plain old soap and water will do just fine! However, if you do want to use special cleaning products made specifically for espresso machines, make sure they are non-abrasive so as not to damage any internal components of your device. Also note that some detergents contain chlorine which could leave behind an unpleasant taste in your coffee – so only use these products if necessary!

With just a few simple steps every couple of months, you can keep your Nespresso in top shape and enjoy delicious cups of coffee for years to come! Cleaning does more than just improve flavor; regular maintenance helps extend the life of your appliance too! So take some time out today to give your machine some TLC – you’ll be glad you did!

Tips for cleaning your coffee maker

Create a phone reminder or jot your next cleaning on the calendar
Tip: note how many pods your case holds and make a judgement based on that, for example, you may have to run through it twice before cleaning.
Have a 20oz container, or large glass handy when it’s time to clean.
When it comes time to clean, just refill the reservoir and run the cycle after you’ve made your morning coffee. It’s automatic and hands off, so no reason to dread!
Rinse the drip tray and clean visible debris from the side containers weekly or as often as needed.

How I take my coffee

It took me a few weeks to get used to my Nespresso, but I truly enjoy my coffee so much that just one cup in the morning is enough. And I look forward to it every day!

The pod is key. I go back and forth with the melozio pods and the odacio pods, but I think odacio is my favorite. (They’re the turquoise ones). I keep it simple by adding 2 pumps of sugar free vanilla or hazlenut with 1/4 cup of foamed 1% milk. I don’t stray to far from this. If I try to make a 2nd cup, the satisfaction value just isn’t there. With one cup the calories stay under 50, I keep my fasted state and can stay on track with intermittent fasting!

If you like to take your coffee up a notch, try this Vegan Cold Creme recipe. Add a dolop

Cheers to excellent coffee.

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