One Pot Lemon Pasta

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I saw on Instagram. As I made the original I realized it needed some tweaks to make it work for my family. I added a bit more liquid to the pot, more spices, more lemon, Parm and vegan sausage. It was absolutely delicious and got a huge thumbs up from the family. I love how the pasta cooked in the sauce and I didn't have to cook it separately. It made for a very easy Sunday night dinner. I served with a side of crusty bread and I was very heavy handed on the super healthy micro-greens. This made three large servings, could stretch to four smaller servings. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Tbl olive oil, divided

1 yellow onion, skins removed and diced 

4 cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced

1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 cups water or broth, divided 

1 15oz can of full fat coconut milk

2 lemons, zest & juice, divided

12 oz rigatoni 

Micro-greens of your choosing, I used arugula micro-greens

3-4 links of chicken or plant-based sausage (I like Beyond Sausage) cooked and sliced

Parmesan for serving

Directions:

Heat 2 Tbl of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. If onions stick to the pan or start to get brown, add a Tbl of water to deglaze the pan. I had to do this twice during cooking. Add garlic and cook for just one minute more, stirring the whole time. Add the pepper flakes, salt, pepper, one cup of water or broth, the whole can of coconut milk, all the lemon zest and juice from only one lemon. Add the dry pasta and give a good stir. Cook, uncovered, over medium low to medium heat until the pasta is al dente. I would say I cooked the pasta for about 15 minutes. After 7 minutes or so, add the second cup of water/broth. You want the water and coconut milk to eventually become a sauce....this dish will not be super "saucy" ....most of the liquid will absorb as the pasta cooks. 

When the pasta is cooked to your liking, add the remaining 2 Tbl of olive oil and juice of the second lemon and stir. Taste pasta and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

Scoop into pasta bowls and serve with Parmesan, micro-greens, and sausage/vegan sausage. 

Enjoy!!!

Colorful Pasta Salad

This salad is easy to make, tastes great and makes enough for two nights (that is if the kids aren’t eating it...but, don’t rule that out...two out of three of my children love it!). It is light, refreshing and full of flavor! Raw vegetables are full of food digesting enzymes. All the veggies in this recipe are raw...and yes, so is the sweet potato. Now listen, do not be afraid of raw sweet potato...it is sweet and delicious and when grated, it looks JUST like carrots! So, if your husband or kids raise an eyebrow, just tell one tiny little fib, “Oh those? Oh, those are grated carrots. You love carrots!” and they will be none the wiser!

Dressing:
1/2 c. mayo (yes, that’s a lot of mayo...but, relax, you’ll be eating a ton of veggies because of it! It all balances out!)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbl of soy sauce
1 Tbl lemon juice
2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tbl dried or fresh dill, to taste (we like a lot of it!)

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta noodles (spirals, penne or bow-tie work best)
15 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1-2 carrots, GRATED
1/2 sweet potato, RAW, PEELED & GRATED (you must grate this...I know, I hate grating, too...but, you must grate this to get the right texture)
1 c. frozen shelled edamame (just throw them in frozen...by the time you eat the salad, they will have defrosted...could it be any easier!?)
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
Make the dressing first in the bowl you intend to make the salad in...it saves time and makes for easier clean up. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together till smooth.
Now it is time to start chopping and grating...put all the veggies in the bowl with the dressing. Mix well.
Add the cooked and slightly cooled pasta to the veggies/dressing mixture. Mix well.
Let this salad cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours....the longer it has to marinate the better. We actually enjoy this better the next day!
*I serve this salad with a yummy crusty bread like ciabatta.