Look at the above picture. I was presented with this dirty, uneven, ‘just dug up from the farm’ asparagus Wednesday morning from our dear nanny, MB. And I could not have been more thrilled about it. From that point forward a good chunk of time was spent day dreaming about what to do with this gloriously fresh vegetable. Since M was out of town, I knew it could be the main ‘feature’ of the meal as opposed to just a side. Ahhh…what to make?
I had one of those days where I really couldn’t remember sitting down. With a busy weekend ahead of me including tons of time spent in the kitchen (yea!) I wanted to treat myself to a nice dinner and a glass of wine to plan out my cooking schedule for the next few days. For me that ‘treat’ would be pasta. I rarely have it as I prefer to eat my sugar/carbs/heavier calories in the form of a baked good, but every once in awhile a pasta recipe comes around that just seems so light and fresh that it (easily) tempts me into trying it out.
This recipe is no exception. I love that it highlights the veggies that are freshest right now. I love that the ingredients are minimal and simple. And I love that the flavor of the whole wheat pasta and the farm vegetables is not drowned in a creamy sauce. This IS a good for you pasta dish. Eat up and use the energy it gives you towards something useful. For me that would be another (1/2) glass of wine and a rerun of Mad Men. Don Draper is always useful.
- 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 small red onion, or a few shallots, minced
- 1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh peas
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 4 large leaves of basil, julienned
- grated fresh parmesan
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta al dente.
- Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium heat with a few TBS of olive oil. Add in the minced red onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Throw in asparagus for a few minutes, and lastly add the peas to heat through.
- Drain the pasta and add to the large saute pan. Toss together with the veggies, a little more olive oil, salt & pepper, lemon zest, basil and parmesan. Top with more basil and parmesan if desired.
I INHALED this:
Courtney
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Courtney
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These are a few of your favorite things….fresh, healthy eats + glass of wine + Don Draper = YUM!
It is an excellent combo! 😉
So, I never liked asparagus. Last week, we were eating dinner on the patio with grilled asparagus as a side dish. Courtney gave me a funny look as I tugged the asparagus out of my mouth. I said, “this is why I’ve never liked asparagus – it’s too tough”. Courtney started laughing and explained that you’re supposed to eat the tip, not the base. I then cleaned my plate. I’m embarassed to admit that it took me 32 years to learn this life lesson.