Hello! Notice anything new? I'll give you a hint- look to your right. Yes! I've been awarded "top health blogger" status at Wellsphere.com! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be receiving recognition for this humble little blog. Shall we celebrate? I don't know about you, but when I hear "celebrate" I think one thing- carbs! How about a nice big plate of pasta puttanesca?
And what the hey, since this is a blog about vegetables after all, let's load it up with veggies- ones I promise you will hardly even notice. Now, we all know the story of puttanesca, don't we? That the "ladies of the night" would leave it out in windows to attract gentleman callers? Well, this vegefied version had 3, count 'em, 3 handsome men gathered around my kitchen table in no time. That's the power of puttanesca.
Hidden Veggie Puttanesca
1 lb angel hair or spaghetti noodles
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups baby spinach, chopped
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp italian seasoning
5 tbsp capers
1 1/2 cups oil cured olives, pitted and chopped (can substitute kalamata)
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
24 oz tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp kelp granules (optional, but gives it an oceany flavor similar to anchovies)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Fresh grated parmesan, for serving
In a medium saucepan, bring oil to medium high heat and add onion and carrots. Sautee until onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add spinach, red pepper flakes, italian seasoning, capers, olives, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Then add rest of ingredients and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions on package. Drain (but don't rinse! Never rinse- you want all of that lovely starchiness) and gently work sauce into pasta. Spoon into bowls or onto plates
and sprinkle with parmesan.
I'll never forget the first time I took my husband to Whole Foods. "This place is miraculous" were his exact words. And it really is. It's nothing like the grocery stores we've become accustomed to- at which people rush around in an angry frenzy, all of them wishing they were somewhere else. It's a place where people come to admire the fruits of mother nature- a museum for people who love food, if you will. And if Whole Foods is a museum, then the salad bar is where the crown jewels are held- and priced accordingly. So rather than spend a week's worth of diapers on one meal, I've taken to tasting and then recreating their offerings at home. And this balsamic pasta salad, in my opinion, blows theirs straight out of the water.
Words cannot express how much I love balsamic vinegar, and this salad is such a perfect vessel for it. It's also great to make ahead of time, as the flavors only intensify, especially in the asparagus, which soaks it up so beautifully while still holding its shape. Heaven.
Balsamic Pasta Salad with Bocconcini and Roasted AsparagusYield: 4-6 servings
(Can be made vegan by substituting nutritional yeast for parmesan and omitting bocconcini)
12 oz multicolored rotini
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup capers
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup sundried or slow-roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1 cup bocconcini
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Drizzle asparagus with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until fork tender. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions on package. Whisk together remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Add all ingredients to pasta and gently toss with dressing. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
