Pasta Primavera…Or, “I ate too much meat this weekend”

Well really, who doesn’t love a good pasta primavera?  Primavera means spring in Italian, so I suppose this is supposed to include spring-time veggies? I don’t know.  

It seems like every recipe I’ve ever seen to have a random assortment of 3-4 vegetables of different colors.  I feel like a chump posting a recipe for this because, honestly, it is so freaking easy to make and 100% customizable. You don’t like peas? Don’t use peas! Craving some mushrooms? Throw them in!  But I am posting because

1. Maybe someone is just dying for a pasta primavera recipe and has no clue where to start,

2. I haven’t posted anything in a while and feel like a slacker, and

3. It was pretty tasty and I love Ellie Krieger’s tasty and healthy recipes!  I plan to make more of her things in the near future – especially as my marathon training kicks into high gear. (Incidentally, this would be an excellent pre-run meal the night before a race or long run, especially with the Barilla Plus pasta. Check out the nutritional info, which is estimated, below!)

I decided to make this Monday night because when asking Big Guy what he wanted for dinner, he replied, “Vegetables.”  Like most large, Southern men, he likes his meat and potatoes, but tries not to eat it too frequently. Lean proteins are better for you, but there was more than the usual amount of meat on his menu this past weekend.  Me? I eat very little meat. We’ll save the real vegetarian discussion for another post, perhaps one with a truly “granola treehugger” entry.  

So today’s recipe is below.  We are moving apartments next week so stayed tuned for a new, potentially non-food post.  HINT: Our couch will not fit through the door of our new place. We will have to get creative. We may document the debacle project.  

Pasta Primavera

adapated from Ellie Krieger

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips

1/2 pound broccoli florets

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and sliced into strips

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Pinch of crushed red pepper (about 1/8^th teaspoon, to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large carrot (6 ounces) peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler (about 2 cups carrot ribbons)

1 box linguine (I like Barilla Plus in the yellow box)

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

Directions:

Begin bringing large pot of water to a boil before you start the sauce.

1.         Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 minute.

2.         Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

3.         Add mushrooms, broccoli and tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

4.         Stir in flour/water mixture and cook for 1 minute more.

5.         Add chicken stock, milk, red pepper, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot strips.

6.         Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; reserve about ½ cup pasta water and drain the rest. Toss cooked pasta with vegetables and sauce. Add pasta water, if necessary, to loosen sauce. Serve garnished with Parmesan and basil.

[The other thing I like about Ellie Krieger is the nutritional info for her recipes.  Ellie’s recipe has 480 calories per serving, 11g fat, 22 g protein, 76 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 10 mg cholesterol, and 610 mg sodium. My version likely had more cheese than the allotted ½ cup Parmesan cheese and more milk fat so if you are counting calories, this version is probably higher.]