Leslie Dabney, The Vineyard Mom, says recipes can be comforting and healthy at the same time including these two she's sharing.
Turkey Sausage and Veggies Hash with Eggs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 lb. turkey ground turkey sausage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 3-4 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Tarragon Pesto:
- 1 cup packed fresh tarragon leaves
- 1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley
- 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
In a food processor or blender, combine the first five ingredients up to the salt and process until smooth.
With the processor or blender running, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil. When all of the oil is combined, turn off the processor and put the pesto into a bowl and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate.
Heat a cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Brown the sausage. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil back to the cast iron pan.
Add butternut squash, onion, bell peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
Add sausage back into the pan with veggies. Stir to incorporate the sausage.
Create 3-4 divets in the hash with a spoon and crack an egg into each divet. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes or bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Take the cover off and place dollops of the tarragon pesto over the top and serve.
Chicken with Warm Lentil and Arugula Salad
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Warm Lentil Salad
- 1 cup rinsed green lentils
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 cups of arugula
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Marinade:
Put all the marinade ingredients into a mason jar and shake well or whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and add them to a plastic sealable bag. Pour the marinade over the pieces. Gently place the bag into the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to an hour.
Place marinated chicken either on a grill or in a saute pan set to medium high heat. Cook the chicken on both sides for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Warm lentil salad:
Bring 4 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, add lentils and simmer for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander. Do not rinse!
In the bottom of a large bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, red onion, parsley, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
Add drained warm lentils to the bowl. Top with arugula. Toss all the ingredients in the bowl to combine.
On each plate, place some warm lentil salad and top with chicken breasts. Serve.
Leslie suggests serving either recipe with chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
Recipes courtesy of Leslie Dabney, The Vineyard Mom @thevineyardmomliving on IG
