Tilapia with White Wine Caper Sauce

My cooking isn't exactly what it used to be, especially since we typically eat dinner after we've put Theo to bed, so quick and easy is definitely the top priority.  This dinner was both quick and easy, while also being pretty healthy and really, really delicious.  Seriously, Colin couldn't stop raving about it and said it's the best dinner I've made in a while--I totally agree!


1 lb. tilapia filets

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Season tilapia with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.   Cook the tilapia in batches, 2-3 minutes per side, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  Add the wine to the skillet and cook on medium-high heat until it has reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining butter, plus the capers and parsley.  Serve the tilapia with the sauce over top.

Source: Real Simple (slightly modified)



I served the tilapia with this super easy side dish.  I kind of just threw together a few things that we had on hand and it ended up so good!  This was also insanely easy and healthy--win win!


Chickpea, Veggie and Feta Saute


1 can chickpeas, drained
6 oz. baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Salt and pepper to taste


Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chickpeas to the pan and stir occasionally, until they start to slightly brown.  Add in spinach and tomatoes, continue stirring occasionally until the spinach wilts and the tomatoes soften.  Season with salt and pepper, stir in feta and serve.

Easy Summer Sides

I'm apparently so obsessed with taking pictures of my sweet baby boy that my iPhone is totally maxed out on storage, so no photos of these--you'll just have to use your imagination!  Both of these are super easy, healthy, fresh and light, which makes them perfect summer side dishes.

Cannellini Bean Salad

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 zucchini, sliced
10-15 basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup Parmesan
Lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss all ingredients together.  Serve.

Inspired by a recipe on theglitterguide.com

Pita Bread Salad

2 pitas, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 heart of Romaine, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
Mint, chopped (my grocery store was all out of mint, so I skipped it, which was fine but I think it would be tasty and will use some next time)
6 oz. crumbled feta
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Toss pita pieces with a little bit of olive oil, then put in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and browned.  Meanwhile, put lettuce, cucumber, celery, mint and feta in a large bowl.  Pour vinegar into a small bowl, then slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top salad with warm pita, add dressing, toss and serve.

Inspired by a recipe on thewiegands.com

Pork with Pomegranate Pan Sauce

Now that I feel like I've moved slightly past the novice cook stage, I've been trying to expand my cooking repertoire, so pork it is! I've actually had this recipe for over a year--we planned to have Colin's parents over for Christmas Eve dinner at our house last year and I wanted to try something new and kind of "fancy" for the occasion. Unfortunately, Mother Nature disrupted our plans, delivering a serious Christmas Eve snowfall and my in-laws couldn't safely make the drive to our house. Somehow, I've never actually gotten around to making this recipe until now--and I'm actually kind of glad I didn't try it out when we were hosting guests! Since I'm not a pork pro, I definitely overcooked these. It was still decent and had good flavor, so I definitely think it's a recipe I want to try again and hopefully I can improve my pork cooking skills!

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4 oz.) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallots
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over pork chops. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Add shallots to pan; cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add juice, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve pork with sauce.

Source: Cooking Light magazine

I served these with a spinach and arugula side dish that was so good, so thankfully the whole dinner wasn't a bust!

Sauteed Spinach and Arugula with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb. fresh spinach
1/4 lb. fresh arugula
Salt and pepper to taste
A few spoonfuls of goat cheese (around 1 oz. per serving)

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a very small pan (so there's some depth to the olive oil) on medium heat. Once hot, add in pine nuts and let fry for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Then transfer them using a slotted spoon to a separate bowl. Once cooled a bit, lay them out on a paper towel to soak up some of the excess oil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in spinach and arugula and saute until wilted. Add in salt and pepper to taste. To serve, toss spinach mixture with pine nuts and add in a few spoonfuls of goat cheese.

All American Meal--Buffalo Style

I'm not the world's biggest meat eater, but every once in a while I have a serious craving for a hamburger. I decided that I would go with a classic American meal--hamburgers, french fries and coleslaw. I don't typically like coleslaw, but I've learned over time that just about anything is better when it's homemade, so I decided I would try a coleslaw recipe myself and it was actually really good! The burger and fries both have a "Buffalo" twist (shout out to the Malchoffs!) for an extra kick and everything turned out really yummy. Craving satisfied!

Buffalo Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey
Blue cheese crumbles (I don't love blue cheese, so I subbed in a slice of provolone instead)
Frank's Hot Sauce
Breadcrumbs
Cayenne
Hamburger buns

Mix first 5 ingredients to taste (I like a lot of Buffalo sauce flavor, so I put in a ton of Frank's!) in a medium size bowl. Form mixture into 4 burgers. Put on the grill and leave until cooked through. Assemble burgers and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Fries

2-3 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange potato wedges on sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, until tender. Remove pan from oven. Combine hot sauce and butter in a bowl and microwave until melted. Stir to combine. Drizzle mixture over fries and return to oven for additional 15 minutes. Serve with dressing for dipping.

Classic Coleslaw

2 1/2 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Toss all veggies in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar. Toss with veggies. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, at least 1 hour.

Source: bigcitycooking.blogspot.com

Flat Bread with Thyme

This is another recipe from Real Simple magazine and it is quite literally "real simple". It hardly even requires a "recipe" but it was yummy, easy and cheap, while making a nice addition to a dinner with my family.

1 lb. pizza dough (since I was in the "real simple" mode, I just used a tube of the refrigerated dough, but I'm sure this would be even better with homemade dough)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper

Shape the pizza dough into a rectangle and place on a baking sheet. Brush with a little bit of olive oil and bake according to directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove dough from oven, transfer to a cutting board, brush with the thyme mixture and cut into pieces. Serve warm.

"Fancy" Eggs and Hash Browns

I recently caught the end of a Barefoot Contessa episode where the dish was a breakfast that looked absolutely amazing! Since I only saw a few minutes of the episode, all I knew was that it involved scrambled eggs and goat cheese, but with the power of Google, that was all I needed to know! I found the recipes I was looking for and cooked this on a leisurely Saturday morning--what a delicious breakfast! If you are a fan of goat cheese (as we are in the Sanburg household), you will definitely love these eggs!

Slow Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese

6 Servings

16 extra large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk or half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Whisk eggs in a bowl with milk, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan. Add eggs and cook until desired doneness, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add goat cheese, chives and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir and allow the eggs to sit for 30 seconds, until the cheese begins to melt. Check for seasoning, then serve hot.

Country Hashed Browns

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled and 1/2 inch diced
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions (about 2 onions)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts
1/2 lb. smoked ham slices, 1/2 inch diced

Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper and cook over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through (allow the potatoes to first cook for 5 minutes before turning). Turn off heat and add parsley, scallions and ham.

Source: Ina Garten

Chicken Tequila Burgers with Baked Onion Rings

If you're in the mood for a burger and onion rings, but are attempting to be at least semi-healthy with your diet, this is a good option. It's yummy and fulfills the "burger" craving, while still being a lot healthier than the traditional version.

Chicken Tequila Burgers
Source: annies-eats.blogspot.com

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (feel free to use more jalapenos if you prefer more heat)
2 chicken breasts
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 oz. tequila (we don't have any tequila in the house, so I omitted this)
Dash of soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

For Serving:
Burger buns (I used whole wheat to keep with the healthy vibe)
Sauteed bell pepper and onion
Lettuce

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Combine garlic, jalapeno, chicken, cilantro and lime zest in a food processor. Pulse several times until the chicken is uniformly ground. Mix in the tequila, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and panko. Pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well blended. Form the mixture into 4-5 patties and place on baking sheet. Broil the burgers for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking to brown both sides. Check for doneness before serving. Place on bun and add toppings to serve.

Baked Onion Rings
Source: Cooking Light

3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup milk
2 large vidalia or sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Combine everything through milk in a large bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a a separate shallow bowl. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place onion rings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes.

Rice, Black Bean and Feta Salad

This was really good when we had it as a side dish with Colin's famous grilled salmon, and it was even better as leftovers the next day.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cup cooked rice (I used orzo because, as I've previously mentioned, I have a slight obsession with orzo!)
1 (3.5 oz) package crumbled feta (I used reduced fat)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup green onions
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I don't love Italian dressing, so I subbed in balsamic vinaigrette and it worked perfectly!)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley (I went with parsley)

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate.

Source: Feta cheese package

Roasted Asparagus

I LOVE asparagus and this really couldn't be easier--I'll definitely be making this again.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Cut ends off asparagus and place on the cookie sheet. Top with cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Garlic Fries

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 large baking potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 450. Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick sticks. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, oil and salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes. Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with parsley, reserved garlic and additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately.

Southwestern Mushroom Casserole

Ok, clearly this is not the most photogenic food ever, but if you are someone who likes mushrooms you must try this! It's soooo good! So much flavor and just the right amount of spiciness.

2 8 oz. packages sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (I only used 1 T and it worked just fine)

Preheat oven to 350. Place the mushrooms in a 2-quart pie pan. In a medium bowl, combine the beef broth and flour; microwave at low power until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cayenne; season with salt. Immediately pour the sauce over the mushrooms. In a medium bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan. Sprinkle on top of the mushrooms, top with the butter and bake until browned, about 45 minutes.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Simple Cornbread

Yep--this was simple! I love cornbread and this was another good, basic version.

Jiffy Cornbread Mix
Grated cheddar
Green onions
Dash of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients and cook according to box directions (See? I said it was simple!)

Chili-Garlic Roasted Veggies

The original recipe from Rachael Ray only used broccoli, but I quickly discovered that this would be delicious with any combination of veggies. This time I used broccoli, mushrooms and onions--so good and Colin has already requested this again!

Here's the original recipe:
1/4 cup olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (I used Montreal Steak seasoning)
1 large head broccoli, cut into thin, long spears

Preheat oven to 425. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. Transfer broccoli to a large nonstick baking sheet. Roast the broccoli until the ends are crisp and brown, and stalks are tender, about 17-20 minutes.

Tuscany Bread with Cream of Tomato Soup

I made this for lunch on our "snow" day when Colin and I were stuck inside all day. I'm so glad I happened to have all the ingredients on hand because this was soooo good and the perfect warm and cozy (but easy!) meal!

Tuscany Bread

1 small loaf French baguette
Pesto
Couple of handfuls of fresh spinach
4-8 mozzarella slices, just enough to cover the bread
1 small tomato, diced
A few lemon wedges

Heat oven to 375. Brown baguette until the outside is crusty (about 5-8 minutes). Halve bread lengthwise and spread pesto on the cut sides. Add spinach leaves, a few tomatoes and then the cheese. Sprinkle a few more tomatoes on top of the cheese. Place under a broiler until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and cut into pieces. Serve with lemon wedges.

"Cheater's" Cream of Tomato Soup

Fresh herbs of choice (I used basil)
Butter
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of nutmeg

Saute fresh herbs in butter. Add all other ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes and that's it--couldn't be easier!

Source: Food Network Magazine

Fettuccine with Basil, Ricotta and Tomatoes

This was pretty tasty and super easy. I served it with oven roasted red potatoes so we had quite the carb-fest!

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

4 red potatoes
Olive Oil
Thyme
Rosemary

Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces and put them in a single layer on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil to coat, add thyme and rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Fettuccine with Basil, Ricotta and Tomatoes

1 9 oz. package refrigerated fettuccine
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup Parmesan
Several grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package. Return to saucepan. Stir together butter, ricotta and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Toss with hot pasta. Top pasta with tomatoes, basil and remaining Parmesan.

Veggie Fried Rice

This was a really good vegetarian meal--it's pretty healthy, filling, colorful and cheap. Can't beat it! I'll definitely make this again, and if you wanted to add some chicken or beef to it, that would also be really yummy.

4 cups prepared rice (white or brown)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
2 cups veggies of choice, chopped (I used carrots, red bell pepper and frozen edamame)
1 teaspoon Siracha sauce (Asian chili sauce--I had a slight mishap here, since I misread the recipe and used a tablespoon of the sauce! It was really hot at first, but luckily I like things a little bit spicy and we just added some more soy sauce, so that balanced everything out)
3-4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 large eggs, beaten (I used 2 eggs since that was all I had, but Colin requested more eggs next time)
3 scallions, white and light green parts trimmed and chopped

In a non-stick wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Over medium-high heat, add onions and veggies and saute until softened. Add Siracha sauce to season veggies. Add rice and drizzle with remaining oil and soy sauce. Add garlic powder. Stir rice until even in color and soy sauce has been thoroughly mixed in. Stir occasionally while allowing rice to warm up. Make a well in the middle of the wok and pour in beaten eggs, scrambling the eggs, while incorporating more and more rice. Add green onions. Continue to heat rice until egg is fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Twice Baked Potatoes

3 russet potatoes
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (I omitted this)
1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup milk
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Stab the potatoes with a fork a few times. Place them in a microwave and cook until complete. Allow to cool. Scoop out the inside of the potatoes and place them into a bowl. Add the milk, butter and cream cheese; beat until well combined. Add a little bit more milk if they are too thick. Stir in the cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions (if using). Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Greek Spiced Baked Shrimp with Greek Orzo Salad

Greek Spiced Baked Shrimp
Source: Gourmet Magazine (suggested by Graham)

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice and chopped
Pinch of sugar
1 1/4 lb. large peeled and deveined shrimp
1/4 lb. feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped dill

Preheat oven to 375 with rack in the middle. Cook onion and garlic in oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 4 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in spices and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes with juice and sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then stir into tomato sauce. Transfer to a 2 quart shallow baking dish and top with feta. Bake until just cooked through, 18-20 minutes. Serve sprinkled with dill.

This was so good! It was super flavorful and I will definitely be making it again.

Greek Orzo Salad

Salad
8 oz. orzo
4 cups baby spinach, chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved (I skipped these since I'm not a huge olive fan)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
4 oz. feta

Dressing
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil

Cook orzo until tender, 8-10 minutes. Chill 20 minutes. Add remaining salad ingredients to chilled orzo. In a separate container, mix together dressing. Pour dressing over salad and let chill for 30 minutes.

Taco Soup with Jalapeno Cornbread

Ok, I think I have a slight soup obsession! I always find recipes for soups that sound so good and they're usually so easy and filling that it's hard to resist! I know pretty much everyone has a version of a taco soup recipe, so here's mine.....

1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato sauce
2-3 cups water
1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing

Brown meat in Dutch oven. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, avocados and crushed corn chips.

Before I made this cornbread Colin made sure to tell me that he didn't like it when cornbread was "too dry". So, lucky me, I came across a recipe for "extra moist" jalapeno cornbread and figured Colin would love it. Well, turns out he also doesn't like it when cornbread is "too mushy", go figure! Either way I thought this was super tasty and will definitely make it again!

Extra Moist Jalapeno Cornbread
3 (7 oz.) packages of cornbread mix (if using Jiffy, omit the sugar from the recipe)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cups shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese (I only used 1 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups whole or buttermilk (I used 1% milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 (15 oz.) can cream-style corn
6 oz. chopped jalapenos

*This made a huge amount, so I'll probably half it next time

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 pan or cast iron skillet. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes (I ended up baking it for closer to an hour).

Parmesan Orzo with Pesto Vegetables

Colin used to say that a meal wasn't really a meal without meat, but ever since our "Month Without Meat" last year, he's been a total convert to vegetarian-ish meals. He loved this and made sure to take all the leftovers with him for lunch the next day too!

Parmeasan Orzo

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup orzo

1 1/4 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

1 1/4 cup water

1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper

Source Cooking Light

Red Potatoes and Green Beans with Pesto

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup pesto (I kept it simple and used store-bought)

1/4 cup goat cheese, optional (I skipped this)

Handful of thin red onion slices

Salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Simmer until potatoes are nearly tender, about 12 minutes. Add the green beans to the pot and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the vegetables and toss with the pesto (and goat cheese, if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with sliced red onion.