Broccoli Panzanella with Walnut Sauce and Basil

I adapted this recipe from the NYT -- my main changes were to reduce the olive oil and exhange about 2/3 of it with water...which I probably shouldn't have done, as it turned out a bit dry. I'll post it below with the original amounts, as that's what I'll follow next time.
Turned out tasty still though, and the roasted broccoli had an awesome nutty, roasted kick to it.

Ingredients

For the broccoli:

• 12 ounces broccoli, florets cut into pieces 1 inch in length and stem peeled and cut into pieces 1 inch in length and 1/2 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, minced (I used more)
  
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (I used more)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the walnut sauce:

• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 1 large clove garlic, minced (I used 2-3x this amount)
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch finely grated lemon zest (I used a tsp of lemon juice)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

• One-day-old baguette, crust discarded and remaining cut into 3/4 inch to 1-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup julienned basil leaves (I used more, about 1/2 cup)
  
• Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, optional.

Method

• 1. For the broccoli: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the broccoli, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread across a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan, and roast until the broccoli is crisp-tender, and is beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare walnut sauce.
• 2. For the walnut sauce: In a dry skillet or toaster oven, toast the walnut pieces until fragrant and lightly browned. Place in a blender with garlic, olive oil and lemon zest. Blend until smooth, adding just enough water to make a thick yet pourable sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 3. For assembly: Spread the diced bread on a baking sheet (I sprayed the bread pieces w/ Pam butter spray and sprinkled them garlic salt) and bake until crisp and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add broccoli (there should be equal parts broccoli to bread), and mix lightly.
• 4. On a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, spread the walnut sauce and pile the broccoli and panzanella on top. Garnish with julienned basil and, if desired, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Creamy, Cheesy, Healthy Pesto

Saw this today in the NY Times Recipes for Health column, and after just a few modifications, oh wow is it good!
We have tons of basil in the garden that needs to be harvested so this was perfect timing.
Our basil is spicy, and with the addition of a healthy load of black pepper, so is this creamy pesto.
Because all the creamy agents are fat-free, this stays pretty healthy, and as we learned tonight, is amazing smeared on top of some pan fried tomatoes (which are also exploding from the garden) or really any type of veggie or pasta (shown above with a layered veggie torte) -- highly recommend this one!

4 plump garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I used a good amount of both)
1 tablespoon plain nonfat yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the basil, and process until finely chopped. Stop the machine, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, and process until smooth and creamy. Serve with pasta, or as a dip or spread.

Yield: Makes 1 heaped cup (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons).
Advance preparation: This will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. It will become more pungent, however, and the green will fade.

Nutritional information per 2-tablespoon serving (using fat-free cottage cheese): 43 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 131 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during preparation); 4 grams protein