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!

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

• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15- or 19-ounce can cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, summer squash, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, tomatoes and vinegar; increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan.