Farmers’ Market Pasta

This recipe is an easy, quick, and nutritious go to meal. The original recipe was published in a favorite magazine of mine, Real Simple (as mentioned in other posts). It is listed as vegetarian, but by simply replacing the parmesan cheese with a vegan version…Vela! In addition, I swapped out other ingredients and spices by following the advice of both my daughter and son who insist that I channel my “inner chef”. Once you’ve tried this recipe, use your creativity to further enhance this delicious meal. See NOTE below. Enjoy…

Ingredients

12 oz. short, whole grain pasta

1 Tbsp. avocado oil

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half if large

6 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 tsp. kosher salt

a pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 medium red onion, cut into wedges, layers separated

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 cups packed arugula

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1 oz. Vegan Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain, reserving a cup of pasta water.

Heat 1 Tbsp. avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook 2-3 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften. Add zucchini, mushrooms (my addition), and onions and continue to cook 3-4 minutes until tomatoes have burst and vegetables are tender, stirring often. Add corn, stirring to combine. Add spinach, basil, pasta, and 3 Tbsp. of olive oil. Toss to combine. Warm through over medium heat, adding reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, if mixture appears dry. Lastly, stir in Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve with garlic toast.

NOTE: My daughter Jennifer, an amazing cook in her own right, replaced the onions with leeks, uses one cup cherry tomatoes and 1/2 can diced tomatoes, and adds 1/2 cup of dry white wine. She, indeed, channels her “inner chef”.