More Vegetables…..

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What’s up with this heading?

January is almost at a close and like everyone; I’d set some goals for 2019. The goals which I feel can be achieved; without all the pressure and feel good about doing them.

One of them is incorporating quite a bit more vegetables in my meals – which can taste good! So; I wanted to share the dish the other night I made for myself that was so delicious – where the vegetable presence was the star!!! Now by all means; I am not a chef!

I have been enjoying cooking more and more at home. This is easy…20 minutes tops!!! 🙂

• 1 carrot
• 1 glove of garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups of spinach leaves
• 3 nests of Delverde spinach Tagliatelle (my favorite)
• 3 to 4 basil leaves
• 2 to 3 generous tbsp. of Bertolli^® Creamy Basil Alfredo with Aged Parmesan Cheese Sauce (or your favorite sauce)
• pinch of kosher salt
• pinch of black pepper
• red pepper flakes (optional)

Simple ingredients!

Begin a pot with 2 -3 quarts of salted water to boil for your pasta. Take your carrot and with a peeler after the first two shaves discard, then save the additional shaves in a bowl.

Take a skillet and heat your olive oil on a very low flame. Once heated, add your garlic and sautee about a minute. Then add the basil and sautee for about 10 secs; followed by the carrot and spinach for additional 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Around this time, the water should have begun to boil and the pasta nests can be added. I prefer my pasta al dente, so I let it boil for about 5 minutes. When completed cooking, add a 1/4 cup of pasta water to the skillet and increase the flame.

Drain the pasta; then also add to the skillet. Taking the vegetables, begin to fold into the pasta. As the pasta water begins to almost have evaporated; but there is a enough to see; turn down the flame and fold in your sauce. Add the pinches of salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Heat for an additional 2 minutes and then plate. Then set your wine glass and fill with your favorite wine!

This recipe is for one person, so increase the pot size, water and ingredients for the additional person(s) (e.g. 6 nests of Delverde spinach tagliatelle, 2 carrots, 4 cups of spinach and definitely more sauce, etc. for two people).

If you are not a spinach person per se, there are different varities of pasta which are vegetable based available. Or if you can’t have the pasta, spiral some zucchini or spaghetti squash; there are many options out there to bump up your meal.

I’d just wanted to share, get you a little hungry and have you thinking about also adding some vegetable star power to your meals!

Ciao!

Letia 🙂

Delverde Spinach Tagliatelle spinach macaroni product is made in Fara, San Martino in Italy.

Pump Up The Volume on Your Vegetables!

Vegetables can be boring, if you don’t change up a bit! So starting off the New Year, I’m trying things new, being creative! 😊

So my cutting board was very useful this afternoon with all the chopping and julienning being done!

Fresh fennel, onions, kale, carrots!

Fennel, an acquired taste raw….however when roasted with virgin olive oil with sprinkles of Himalayan pink salt and coarse pepper; its wonderful! That’s how I prepared it!  Placed on the bitten rack of the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  It can be paired with a roasted pork loin and even accompany a broiled salmon.  I’m roasting them to be as a side to my arugula salad  for lunch today and add to my boxed lunch tomorrow ( that’s the plan…it’s so good)!

Beautiful fennel!

Then taking raw carrots, kale (remove middle stem) and onion, I’d julienned, then formed them together  in a palm size circle by taking a dip in a tempura batter of rice flour, tsp of soybean oil, Sea salt and cornstarch*!

* or a tempura batter mix from the grocery store will also do.

I’d settled twelve of them on a tray and placed in the fridge to get cold (1 to 3 hours ).  The little circles can be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees, on each side for 10 minutes.  Or you may pan fry in vegetable oil for 3 minutes until golden brown.  These will be my go to snack on it’s own!  

Vegetable circles in a tempura batter, placed on a cookie sheet.

 

Vegatable Circles

 

Taking arugula leaves washed and dried, tossed in a lemon dressing of extra virgin oil, Dijon mustard, fresh squeezed lemon with a pinch of sugar. Added diced tomatoes, olives was a winner!  You can even add some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese if you like for this beautiful salad!

Now taking the serving size in consideration, the calories can be low (for example the vegetable circles is 2 at 70 calories for each).

With changing the look of your vegetables can be really good!  The different ways can give the incentive to trying different vegetables and eat more of them for a healthy start to this new year!

Arugula salad, vegetable circle snacks and roasted fennel.

 Letia  😊

The bulb’s foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. The small flowers of wild fennel (known as fennel “pollen” ) are the most potent form of fennel, but also the most expensive. Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavored spice, brown or green in color when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking, green seeds are optimal. The leaves are delicately flavored and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw. Young tender leaves are used for garnishes, as a salad, to add flavor to salads, to flavor sauces to be served with puddings, and also in soups and fish sauce.

Photos by Letia Mitchell LifeStyle & Design ®