Seasonal Recipes

April brings a delightful array of seasonal recipes to the table, showcasing the vibrant flavors of the season. Gochujang Carbonara, a fusion of Korean and Italian cuisines, tantalizes taste buds with its spicy-sweet kick, marrying the rich creaminess of traditional carbonara with the bold flavors of gochujang paste. Key Lime Cookies offer a refreshing twist on classic treats, combining the tangy zest of key limes with buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. For those embracing plant-based delights, a Vegan Gnocchi with spinach and tomatoes celebrates the fresh produce of spring, harmonizing pillowy potato dumplings with the earthy sweetness of tomatoes and the verdant freshness of spinach. These April recipes promise to awaken the palate and evoke the joys of the season’s bounty.

Gochujang Carbonara

Total Time	Servings
35 Minutes	6

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 ounces thick-cut bacon
• ¾ cup (3 ounces) grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Gochujang, depending how spicy you like it
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces pasta (I love fettuccine, conchiglie or shellbows for this!)*
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
  
  For garnish:
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds (black and white are great!)
• Lemon zest, optional for brightness

Directions

1. Cook the bacon: Add bacon to a large skillet or pan and place over medium heat, cook bacon on both sides until golden brown. If the pan starts to smoke at any point, simply lower the heat. I always cook my bacon on medium to medium low heat. Once bacon is done, transfer to a cutting board and blot with a paper towel to absorb excess grease, then coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Alternatively cook the bacon in the oven: Carefully place bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place bacon into a COLD oven, shut the door and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake until bacon has reached your desired level of crispiness, 15 to 25 minutes.
3. While the bacon cooks, make the sauce and pasta: In a medium bowl, whisk together the parmesan, eggs, Gochujang, salt, garlic powder and lots of freshly ground black pepper until well-combined. Set aside.
4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and boil until al dente, according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then remove from heat and drain. Add pasta back to the pot, immediately add the egg and cheese mixture, and use tongs to quickly and thoroughly coat the pasta with the mixture. The warmth of the pasta will transform the eggs into a creamy sauce; it should not be curdled or chunky. Stream in ½ cup pasta water and toss again to coat the noodles so they are glossy and creamy. Add more pasta water, as necessary, to create a creamier sauce. Taste and season with more salt, as needed.
5. Serve: Divide pasta between bowls or plates. Top with bacon pieces and sprinkle each bowl with about 1 tablespoon of grated or shaved parmesan and scallions. If you’d like a little brightness, I suggest adding a little lemon (or lime!) zest on top. Finish it off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and dig in! Serves 4-6.

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Key Lime White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Time	Servings
1 Hours 10 Minutes	20

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
  Wet ingredients:
  
• 1 cup salted butter (unsalted also works!)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime zest (from 2 key limes or 1 large lime)
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the mix-ins:
• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts

Directions

Dulce de leche and dough:

1. First, brown your butter: add butter to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to crackle, and then eventually foam. Make sure you whisk constantly during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a medium bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to touch.
2. Once brown butter has cooled down a bit, add all (including the brown bits) of it to the bowl of an electric mixer, along with the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar and lime zest. Mix on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes
3. Next, add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined, smooth and creamy; about 1-2 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the electric mixer and beat on medium-low speed just until combined. Next add in the white chocolate chunks and chopped macadamia nuts. Mix on low speed until just combined.
5. Use a cookie scoop to grab about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place on a plate or platter, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight. If you are super eager, place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Let your dough balls sit at room temp for 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats so they are not overly cold when you go to bake them.
7. Place dough balls on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Bake longer if you like crispier cookies, but I do not recommend.
8. Cool the cookies on the sheets for at least 5 minutes. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 20 cookies.

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Vegan Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes

Total Time	Servings
15 minutes	3

INGREDIENTS

For the gnocchi:

• 1 17.6 OZ (500 g) package store-bought gnocchi make sure to choose a vegan brand
• 4 handful fresh spinach
• 2 tomatoes, diced

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup cashews (unsalted and not roasted)
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons white miso paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the gnocchi according to the instructions on the package. Place the spinach in a colander and drain the gnocchi over it (this is an easy trick to wilt fresh spinach).
2. Make the sauce: place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth.
3. Pour the sauce into a large pot and heat until it thickens up. Add the gnocchi, the spinach, and the diced tomatoes. Cook for another minute.

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