I'm a vegan, my husband is not. But he's half Greek and loves Mediterranean food, a lot of which is vegan. He's the cook, I'm the sous chef, an acceptable arrangement as far as I'm concerned. The other night, he made a recipe from Vegan Italiano by Donna Klein, one of our favorite vegan cookbooks and cookbook authors. We both loved it and fought over the leftovers. The lemon really kicks up the flavor.
Gemelli with Asparagus and Pine Nuts
1/4 C. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 # asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
12 oz. gemelli or other short tubular pasta
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tsp. coarse salt
1/4 Tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
(We cut the amount of pasta in half and increase the asparagus and the garlic. It's not a cake, so you can adjust it to please yourself. We like lots of garlic and more vegetables than pasta.)
Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Immediately, remove from skillet and transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is slightly tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Add the asparagus and garlic mixture, the reserved pine nuts, lemon juice, salt, and lemon-pepper seasoning. Toss gently to combine. Serve at once.
Makes 4 to 5 main-dish or 8 pasta-course servings
Calories: 437 Protein: 14g. Total Fat: 13g. Cholesterol: 0 Carbohydrate: 67g. Fiber: 3g. Sodium: 263mg.
It looks great and we both love all the ingredients so I'll definitely be trying this one out, or maybe Jack will do the cooking! I love your plate.
ReplyDeleteIt really was good. It can be eaten hot or cold.
DeleteI love those plates, too. I bought them at Marshall's, though, so I never managed to acquire a full setting. I love any insect decorations, bees, dragonflies, butterflies.
Yum! I'm going to have to check out this book. I'm currently waiting for a new book on vegan Indian dishes from the library. I like to borrow cookbooks from the library first for a test drive before deciding whether to buy a copy. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have three of Donna Klein's cookbooks and use them all the time. The recipes are consistently good and most are simple, fairly quick, and use ingredients that are easy to find.
DeleteI hadn't thought of borrowing cookbooks from the library before buying them. That would have saved me a bunch of money spent on cookbooks I don't use.
Pinning this Joan. Always looking for meatless meals to incorporate in our diet!
ReplyDeleteThis cookbooks and The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen are the ones we use the most, both by Donna Klein. They both have great recipes that are made with simple ingredients. Most are uncomplicated.
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