Veggies Please!!

One of the greatest pleasure in the dining experience is ... vegetables! Truly! I love them and their versatile flavor and applications. They can be filling, delicious and interesting. The stand out on the plate! Have i sold you on cooking/eating your veggies yet?

You can never go wrong with roasted vegetables in my opinion, but I love the caramelized texture and flavor achieved from sauteing, so I did both! This vegetable pasta can be a side dish but has the flavor power to stand alone!

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Makes 2-4 servings

2 cups Broccoli, florets

1 cup Mushrooms, sliced

1 each Shallot, minced

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved

8 spears Asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces

4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2 each Garlic Cloves, minced

4 sprigs Thyme

1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tsp Basil leaves, torn into small pieces

2-4 oz White Wine

1.5 cups Whole Wheat Pasta

2 oz Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse, clean and trim all vegetables.

2. Place broccoli in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp EVOO, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat and place on to half of a lined sheet pan.

3. Toss asparagus pieces in 1 tsp of EVOO and place onto 1/3 of the same sheet pan.

4. In a bowl combine tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Combine and place on the remaining space of the sheet pan and place in oven for 10 minutes.

5. Heat 1 Tbsp of EVOO in a saute pan and add shallots. Saute for 30 seconds then add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic, thyme leaves, and remaining salt and pepper. Deglaze pan with White Wine and add the tomatoes and asparagus from the oven. (Place broccoli back in oven for 5-10 minutes longer until cooked through).

6. Bring pasta water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

7. Once broccoli is cooked, rough chop and add to drained pasta along with the mushrooms-tomatoes-asparagus mixture. Stir to combine and finish with cheese! Enjoy!

#vegetables #pasta #cheese