The pasta that I ate for dinner tonight was not meant to be. In fact, until I was physically making this pasta - I had no idea it even existed. You see, I had this idea that Jared would make a fantastic guest blogger tonight. He actually agreed to this (I know, right? all I had to do was ask), and went off to the store to get the ingredients for a healthy gazpacho. But alas, at the grocery store he was stricken with a headache that was so bad - that by the time he got home, he didn't even want a glass of water (let alone prepare and eat and entire pot of chilled soup). So where does that leave me? WIth my finger poised to dial for take-out, I suddenly remembered the ripe tomatoes that were bestowed upon me this weekend (fresh from the farm of the summer camp where my dad is working). Then I started thinking about the bulb of garlic and fresh basil in the fridge. And from those ingredients, my very own recipe for Simple Spicy Pasta Pomodoro was born. I started thinking about doing a quick saute of the tomatoes and garlic and then stirring in some basil at the last minute. As I was sauteing, the tomatoes started to fall apart - and I quickly changed my tune, grabbed the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes and made a quick pomodoro sauce. You guys, the sauce. The sauce was...so...good. And I can't take credit for it. The credit is due to the tomatoes - they were so ripe, they were no-fail. I put this sauce over fettucine (because I had some on hand) but I'd do angel hair pasta next time (less pasta, more sauce). Also, keep in mind that I tend to like my food well seasoned and spicy, so taste as you go and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Happy Monday everyone - eat well this week! Spicy Pasta Pomodoro Serves 1 really hungry healthy-ish girl Ingredients: 2 ripe medium sized tomatoes (doesn't matter what kind, as long as they are red) 3 cloves of garlic (yup 3) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 tablespoons parmigiano reggiano small bunch of basil, torn (I used about 8 leaves, but you can do this to taste) Preparation: Heat oil over medium heat in a small saute pan. Add garlic, saute until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, stir. Continue to saute tomatoes until they begin to fall apart. Add balsamic vinegar, and heat for 5-8 more minutes until flavors are combined, and tomatoes have become a chunky sauce. Take sauce off of heat and stir in basil and parmesan cheese. Taste, and adjust season. Enjoy!
2 Comments
Personally, I have no problem with vegetarian dishes - especially during the summer. To me, meat doesn't make a meal - and sometimes it's nice to enjoy the flavors of fresh, seasonal vegetables when they are shining on their own...in other words: ripe fresh vegetables, simply prepared. Jared however, doesn't always agree with me on this. Whenever I tell him that dinner doesn't include meat, he gets a bit nervous. So when I found a recipe for Summer Squash and White Bean Saute from Eating Well, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Luckily, I didn't have to try very hard because this recipe is what summer cooking is all about. The lack of ingredients made Jared a little apprehensive "where's the chicken, where's the rest of the food?" and I have to admit, I wasn't sure if the vegetables would be able to stand on their own without a ton of seasoning. The best addition to this recipe is the red wine vinegar. I added 2 tablespoons (instead of 1), and I was surprised how the vinegar really helped my palate to taste all of the different flavors - the oregano, parmesan garlic all came to life with a little help from the vinegar. I also added about 1 teaspoon of salt, which I think helped to pull all of the flavors together (I also find that a touch of salt helps ripe tomatoes to taste even better). As for Jared, the vegetarian critic? I believe his feedback was "mmmmm"..... I served this over brown rice (which worked out well), but in the future I'm planning to toss it with pasta or orzo. I think it would also be great with quinoa. I love the adaptability of the dish (swap the zucchini for corn - swap the white beans for black beans...whatever you're in the mood for). Oh yeah, and one serving is under 200 calories - which pretty much rocks. Enjoy!! Summer Squash & White Bean Saute (from EatingWell.com) Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
|