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Vegetarian dish number three- this is a really delicious one…. it is hard to remember it is made without any meat. One of my husband’s favorite pasta dishes is pasta primavera. It is typically made with seasonal vegetables, a delicious marinara sauce and pasta of choice. I have made many different versions of it over the years but I have to say, this one is my favorite.

I roasted some red pepper, squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasting vegetables brings out the nutty, sweetness which is delicious in this dish. I mixed the veggies in a mixture of pesto and homemade marinara sauce. To make even more different, I tossed the pasta with some chopped fresh mozzarella.

I then roasted the dish in the oven till the cheese became soft and oozy. I served it with some delicious garlic bread and a yummy red wine… and we did not miss the meat…
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This pasta came about after my daughter brought a bunch of vegetables home from the farmer’s market at their school. It is a great program to introduce kids to different fruits and vegetables. Kids are more likely to eat the vegetables when they make the choice themselves.

They will also be more interested in maybe helping at home to cook the veggies for dinner.

In my case I had a bunch of lovely swiss chard and some corn. I decided to make a pasta dish. I had a stuffed pasta in the freezer I purchased at Eataly in NYC.

I sauteed some pancetta and added shallots and garlic. I then added the fresh corn, some fresh tomato sauce and the swiss chard. It was super simple and very delicious. I cooked the tiny pasta and added some pasta water into the sauce. A few minutes later I had a delicious, healthy- farm to table food.
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This is a super healthy, quick and delicious dish. Did I mention it is a one pot meal as well? Yes it is. It has cremini mushrooms sauteed with whole wheat penne. I add ready made or homemade pesto to boost the flavor and keep the cooking down to a minimum. I start off with prosciutto and shallots. I then add the mushrooms and pesto. All the flavors are very bold. There are a few ingredients in this pasta but all of them add a great punch of flavor- that is the key to a successful dish.

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, I add it to the mix including some of the pasta water. The starchy water creates a delicious sauce and thickens the pasta.

I then add loads of fresh baby spinach. I love using baby spinach in my salads and pastas. I always have it in the fridge. My daughter doesn’t like salad dressing- so when I make a salad for my husband and I, I give her a hand full of baby spinach as her ’salad’. She eats it up and claims it to be her favorite vegetable.

The pasta is delicious and so healthy…. make it for the family through the week…
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This is a simple, weekday pasta dish I made the other day. Mushrooms is a staple in my house- everyone loves it and I try to incorporate the fungus in every cuisine I can.

In this case I bought ground chicken and decided to pair it with chopped cremini mushrooms. I added my homemade tomato sauce as well as shallots, garlic and fresh thyme. I also added a bit of red wine I was sipping while making this delicious one-pot meal.

I used an interesting looking pasta to make the pasta more appealing. The whole dish was healthy and yummy. I served it with a quick salad and a glass of wine..
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If I had to describe this dish in one word- yum comes to mind. I have mentioned before how I love this combination of flavors- especially in a pasta. I love, love broccoli rabe- it is one of my favorite vegetables.

The problem is my daughter and husband don’t care for it as much- the pasta dish I mean. They like pasta with red sauce and the one I normally make has no sauce. They don’t like it- but I love it.

This is a compromise since it has a fresh ricotta sauce. I was watching Rachel Ray and she made something similar- where she roasted the broccoli rabe and the garlic and mixed everything with ricotta. I thought it was a fantastic idea and decided to add sausage in there as well and make it a one pot meal. I made a special trip to Whole Foods and bought fresh ricotta- if you can do purchase it for this recipe. It makes a big difference in taste- a lot creamier and fresher.

The dish is super simple and quick to make- ideal for a weekday plus I got a thumbs up from the rest of the family!
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