Winning: Pasta with Broccoli and Yum

Disclaimer: I hate jumping on the band wagon. Especially when a particular topic has been beaten to death (via status updates/album titles/photo captions/tweets YES I HAVE TWITTER NOW @taryneleanor... follow me).  


But Charlie Sheen is special case... 


For whatever reason, when I was writing this recipe, his fun little catchphrase came to mind. And although I could try to explain the addicting garlicky cheesiness of this pasta, Chuck just has such a way with words. So I'll pay tribute here, to a man whom I personally hate, but whose words have touched us all.  Here's what the great American poet of our generation has to say:

"It's perfect. It's awesome. Every day is just filled with just wins. All we do is put wins in the record books. We win so radically in our underwear before our first cup of coffee, it's scary. People say it's lonely at the top, but I sure like the view."

Thanks, Chuck. Couldn't have said it better myself. 

This pasta is just that-- one for the record books. A bowl of wins. Make this pasta, and you'll get it. 

Flavorful + filling = winning

Shout out to all you cheese-loving normalvores out there-- fear not. You can easily swap out the vegan cheese for something more your style, maybe mozzarella or parmesan. Or if you're anything like my roomies... both! Love them. And I promise I don't judge.


So without further a-do (?), here's how I made it:


Garlic Lemon Pasta with Broccoli & Sun-dried Tomato
[2] oz pasta shells
[1/2] cup broccoli
[1/3] cup vegan cheese (daiya really is the best)
[1] garlic clove
[1/2] lemon juice
[1] tbsp sun dried tomato, minced
[2] tsp olive oil
[1] tbsp chopped basil or parsley
salt
cracked pepper


Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Once it's boiling, add a considerable pinch of salt and cook pasta until al dente.


Meanwhile, steam the broccoli. I find that it's easiest to do this in a microwave. Just fill a microwavable bowl with about 1/4 inch water, add broccoli, and cover. Microwave for about 2 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green and tender.


Cook garlic in a small sautee pan with 1 tsp of olive oil until it starts to turn color. Add sun dried tomato and continue cooking for about 1 minute.


Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pan. Add broccoli, garlic and sun dried tomato, cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Combine and transfer to a dish. Top with fresh herbs.


Take a bite and try not to pass out.

Yum-Oh

On a Roll!

Between my last post (Feb.8... yikes) and now, a lot of stuff has happened.

Blogging, clearly, has not been one of them. Sorry.


I'm sensing a pattern developing, here. I get on a serious roll, then... uhhh... I don't even want to know when the last entry was. And the busier I get, the more often it tends to happen. At least I'm consistent?

But enough of that, today is a new day. And April is (about to be) a new month. Being a better blogger is still on my radar, and what's the harm in having a long-term goal.

One thing that hasn't fallen to the wayside-- my cooking. I've got tons of recipes to share and I promise, sooner or later, I'll get 'em up here.

So, let's see how many posts I can get in before the next dry spell. Chances are pretty good that consistency will get the best of me once again, but for the sake of everyone who reads my blog, I'll remain optimistic.

Here's a phenomenal recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I don't know many people who don't like hummus, and I'm telling you, this is honestly the best hummus I've made so far.* This recipe literally could not be easier.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
[1] can organic chickpeas
[2] tbsp sesame tahini
[2] lemons, juiced
[1 1/2] whole roasted red peppers, chopped
[1] garlic clove (use more... if you like more garlic)
[1] tsp paprika
[1/4--1/3] cup water to thin. (I use water in place of olive oil but you could use either, or both!)
salt
pepper

Blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a little water in the food processor until smooth. Add water until you've reached desired consistency. When smooth, add salt and pepper to taste, chopped peppers, and paprika. Blend once more until combined. I kept the consistency pretty chunky (I hate that word) so that it was more like a dip. Sprinkle the top with paprika and add a sprig of parsley for presentation and color. Bring it to a party, serve it with pita, then watch it dis-ap-pear.

I'm going to go eat this now and pretend that Spring Break hasn't ended.

You're gunna be sahooo pOpuLaR

*In my latest attempt to avoid preservatives, I've been making my own hummus. It's so much cheaper (hummus at the grocery store can cost up to $5.00 compared to a can of chickpeas for like, $0.80), plus you can control the flavors and consistency. Basically, after you make your own hummus, you'll never buy it from the store again. 

Rigatoni Primavera

Basil, salt, carrots, spice, carbs, and cheese. These are a few of my favorite things. I kid you not, I could eat this dish every day. Here's how it breaks down:

The main ingredient of this meal is a given: Carbs. I may be a girl, but really... Who doesn't love pasta? 

The star of this meal: a certain green herb that I can't seem to get enough of. And no, it's not what you're thinking. I'm talking about basil. I could put it on top of anything... and I do! I love it. Love. (I even tried basil gelato in Rome, which I'd probably only trust the Italians to do right. It was amazing). 

Go ahead and add ice cream to my list of vices. 

Then there's carrots. I'm not sure if cooked carrots were a childhood favorite of mine, but for some reason, I could have cooked carrots every night for the rest of my life. They're just so good! I realize it's a little weird that a 20-year-old college student is obsessed with carrots, but I can bet that my kindergarten homies would all agree on the simple fact that carrots are just yummy... 

...with a dash of salt. I hate to admit it, but I may be a salt addict. Along with basil, salt goes on just about anything. 

And cheese. Praise Allah that vegan options exist and taste good! You'll probably figure out soon that I rarely make a meal without it. 

Finally, I like things spicy. Not too hot, but just enough to wake up the palette. Whether it's hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes, a little zip is almost always necessary. 

Put it all together, and you really have the perfect meal. This Rigatoni Primavera is loaded with veggies (and vitamins--woo!), so it's healthy. I like the addition of carrots because it's a little twist compared to traditional pasta dishes, and the basil gives it an addicting freshness. Needless to say, rigatoni and cheese make it a little splurge-worthy, so you could definitely make it with whole wheat pasta or brown rice pasta. But come on, the white stuff is just too good! After all, in life and in diets, perfection can be wearing. 

Rigatoni Primavera

[1/2] lb rigatoni

[3] cups fresh spinach leaves

[1] cup diced carrots, peeled and in quarter-inch pieces

[1] can diced tomatoes 

[1/3] cup yellow onion, chopped

[1] tsp minced garlic 

[1/2] tsp red pepper flakes

[2] tbsp fresh basil; julienned

[1] tbsp olive oil

vegan parmesan

sea salt

cracked black pepper

Cook pasta to package instructions until al dente. Sauté onions in olive oil on medium low heat until tender, then add garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes then add tomatoes, spinach, carrots, red pepper, and a little more salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add pasta and stir to combine. Top with parmesan and lots of fresh basil. Then, understand my obsession. 

The perfect bite. Libby thought so, too.

Ooey Gooey Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You know those days that just feel blah? It's cold, it's raining, and thought of putting jeans on in place of your sweatpants makes you cry a little? You wonder, "Would anyone judge me if I showed up like I woke up?" Maybe you had class today, maybe you had work, but the only thing you're thinking about now is risking a third speeding ticket so you can get home and change right back into your pj's. And oh, yeah... indulge in some comfort food.

Despite the picture I'm painting here, this is not a plug for Pajama Jeans. You know, "Looks like denim... but feels like pajamas!" If the infomercial made you briefly consider how clutch that'd be, you are not alone, my friends. Unfortunately, that's one guilty pleasure that's a little too guilty. There are standards, people.

On the contrary, this is a plug for a guilty pleasure that ranks at shame factor: zero... something even more comforting than Pajama Jeans... I'm talkin' about grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and I'd debate anyone on that. It's warm, melty, cheesy, and just an all around feel-good food. Paired with a hot cup of tomato soup, and even the nastiest day can turn around. There really is nothing better.

This grilled cheese is so satisfying. The bread's crunchy, the tomato makes it hearty, and the cheese takes center stage.

And guess what?

It's vegan.

So put on your pj's, get comfy, and indulge. Sans guilt.

Vegan Grilled Cheese

[2] slices hearty whole grain bread; I used an organic loaf

[2-3] oz. cheddar style soy cheese

[2] slices tomato, 1/2 inch slices

[2] tsp vegan butter; I like Earth Balance

Spread each slice of bread with 1 tsp of the vegan butter. Toast the bread on medium heat, one slice topped with the cheese. Cover and let cook until the cheese has melted. Add tomato. Devour.