Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

I don't make that much pasta as I often associate it with empty calories and decadent meals.  Although I consider myself a huge foodie, I'm very self-conscious of what I eat and how much I eat.  Thus, pasta is frequently one of those calorie-rich, nutrient-absent meals that most Americans gorge themselves on because it's clearly "good."  And I'm not the only one who thinks this way: Russ, a podcaster from Fat 2 Fit Radio, once said (and I paraphrase): "I don't often think of making pasta dishes because...well...they're just not that good for you."

Russ's comment was actually said in defense of a healthy pasta dish and I feel that if he had tried and read about this recipe, he too would be a believer in healthy pasta.  Here's why this pasta dish is different: whole wheat pasta instead of regular white pasta, pesto instead of white sauce, and smaller servings instead of the "eat until you're can't breathe" mentality round the dish out at about 400-450 calories max.

This dish is healthy, green (and we should strive to eat all things green!), and clearly delicious.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
This recipe comes from nowhere in particular, but if you're looking for a recipe that combines pesto (any form) with pasta, see Elise Bauer's "Asparagus Pesto with Pasta" for an example.

Ingredients:
* 1 serving Whole Wheat Pasta, Spaghetti
* 2-3 tablespoons asparagus pesto, see recipe here (made with Vom Fass Basil Olive Oil)

1.) Begin by bringing a medium pot of water to a boil.  Season water with 1 tablespoon salt.  Remember, Italian cooks believe that good pasta should have flavor, and the way in which to get that flavor is to make pasta water taste like sea water.

2.) Add whole wheat pasta and cook until tender, but still firm (al dente).  Always tatse pasta before it's done--there's nothing worse than uncooked pasta.

3.) Remove from heat and strain.  I prefer not to give whole wheat pasta a cold water bath (frankly, it doesn't need it).

4.) Place on serving dish.

5.) Add 2-3 dollops of pesto.  Mix to integrate and enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

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Szechwan Eggplant Stir Fry

When I'm fixing food primarily for myself, there are those dishes that I make that really only I, vegetarians, vegans, and other veggie-happy folks like.  Basically, when given the choice, I often decide to prepare foods that are primarily vegetable based like stir fry dishes, roasted vegetables, salads, etc.  I don't normally cook these dishes out of a "stay healthy craze" (although such dishes do have their benefits!), but more out of what I crave on a regular basis.  As I mention in many of my posts--I LOVE vegetables.  I think they're the most flavorful, delicious, nutritionally packed dishes. Further, if prepared properly, vegetables can be fixed in a plethora of ways that don't seem like you're "eating your vegetables" the way mom once demanded!

Tonight, I made a dish in this category: Szechwan Eggplant Stir Fry courtesy of Tyler Florence over at Food Network (you can find the original recipe here).  Many of my friends know Tyler Florence as one of my several TV boyfriends (I can't help myself! His fast-paced/"this is so easy!"/"I like butter and cream" style of cooking really gets me excited about the cooking process).  Plus, I know that if I make something by Tyler Florence (just like if I make something by Elise Bauer) it's going to be a hit every time.  As usual, this recipe has several changes--I used regular onions instead of green onions, less oil and more water than directed, traditional eggplant rather than Japanese eggplant, and a combination of chili flakes instead of a red chili.  Depending on your speed of cooking, this can be a pretty quick recipe to make, but I really took my sweet time getting the eggplant prepared just right, so it can take longer.  Whichever way you make this dish--either Tyler's or my own--it's guaranteed to be clearly delicious!

Szechwan Eggplant Stir Fry
When preparing this dish, make sure to cook the eggplant all the way through.  Eggplant is a funny vegetable in that we hardly ever eat it raw because it tastes..well...not disgusting, but somewhat impalatable.  So, when pan-frying your purple friend, make sure that the eggplant pieces are tender on each side, not crispy or stiff.  This way, you'll have a juicier main ingredient that's guaranteed to absorb and contribute to the sauce it's prepared with.

* 1 medium sized eggplant, ripe & cut into 1inch diagonal pieces
* 3 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1 tablespoon soybean oil
* kosher salt and cracked pepper, to taste
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
* 1/2-1 tablespoon red chili flakes
* 1-2 tablespoons of ginger, or one 1-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon corn starch
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds to garnish, optional

1.) First, prepare the eggplant.  Wash and halve your eggplant making sure to fully remove the top stem.  Halve both halves of the eggplant (you'll have four medium sized eggplant pieces).  For me, this cutting process seems very logical given what Tyler Florence suggests you do in the original recipe--since I'm working with a regular medium-to-large eggplant and not 4-5 Japanese eggplants, then separating the eggplant into quadrants gives us a similar size and preparational effect.
2.) Once you have your quadrants, cut the quadrants into strips at a diagonal; then, cut diagonal strips into 1 inch pieces.
3.) Add oil to large saucepan and heat up on medium heat.  Once you begin to see smoke/steam rising from the pan, add a layer of eggplant.  Salt and pepper eggplant to taste and flip strips to cook both sides.  Tyler Florence suggests cooking until eggplant is "sticky" at about three minutes.  However, depending on the heat of the stove, the size of the pieces, your crisp-to-soggy eggplant preference, etc., it's really going to depend how long you cook these pieces.  For me, my 1 inch diagonal pieces (at a medium-to-small thickness) took closer to 5-10 minutes depending on the heat.  The best way to determine when to pull your pieces is when they've one, been cooked for a few minutes on both sides and two, are tender on both sides.  You can decide how much longer to cook them from there.
4.) Once the layer of eggplant is cooked, place on a separate dish and cook another layer of eggplant in the same manner until all of the vegetable is prepared.  This may take around 20-30 minutes depending on your cooking speed and other variants.  Also, note about the oil here: as with many of Tyler Florence's recipes, he suggests additions of butter, oil, cream, etc. according to your preference.  Here, he suggests that you continue to "add oil as needed."  Unfortuntely, this instruction can be a dangerous tip nutritionally and flavorwise. The way I see it, I want to eat my vegetables, but I don't want them to slide down covered in oil right? What's the point? Most Americans will probably follow this instruction and douse the pan with oil every five minutes.  If you're unlike these people, or want a healthier way of preparing this dish, then add water to the pan in the same way you'd add oil.  Every time you add water, you can also add a tablespoon or two of oil.  Again, personal preference here!
5.) Now that the eggplant is cooked, prepare the sauce.  Go ahead and mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, corn starch, and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl.  Mix to integrate and so that the sugar and the corn starch are fully dissolved.
6.) Add chopped onion, minced/pressed garlic, and ginger, to the hot pan you cooked the eggplant in.  Cook for one minute or until "aromatic."  Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook for a couple more minutes.  Add the brown sauce you prepared to this mixture and cook for one minute.
7.) Now, add the prepared eggplant to this sauce and cook for 1 minute.
8.) Remove from heat and serve over rice or pasta.  Enjoy!


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Fusilli with Asparagus, Ricotta, and Parmesan

When my Uncle Doug came to visit this week, I wanted to make something that was both delicious and quick in preparation (Uncle Doug rolled in at 12:30, and I had gotten up at 9:00 and still needed to go to the store! Oy!).  Thus, I made a dish that was guaranteed to be tasty to everyone--pasta.  Not just pasta, richly flavored pasta with a homemade sauce made from ricotta cheese, Parmesan, asparagus, and spices.

This recipe, like many of my favorites, comes from Elise Bauer over at Simply Recipes and can be found here.  I've made several adjustments to the recipe (the spice combination, pasta suggestion, etc. have all been adjusted according to my palette). Otherwise, the core recipe remains pretty much the same.  Uncle Doug liked the recipe ("very much"), which is a big deal given that he doesn't consider himself a pasta man!

Fusilli with Asparagus, Ricotta, and Parmesan
The below recipe originally calls for penne pasta.  Although I am a big fan of penne, I have discovered that fusilli often offers a certainly preparational edge over penne in the final product.  Unlike penne (a short, tube-like pasta), fusilli is the "swirly" pasta we often see at picnics and creates a natural grip on the sauce around it.  Essentially, fusilli holds tight to cheeses and sauces (they get stuck in its endless swirls), whereas penne often slips through sauces. 

Ingredients
* salt, for the water
* 1 1/4 pound thick asparagus, woody ends trimmed
* 1 lb penne, or fusilli pasta
* 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed, or chopped finely
* 15 oz ricotta cheese (about 1.86 cups)
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* Several dashes of Nutmeg

1.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add one tablespoon of oil to prevent the fusilli pasta from sticking, and feel free to add plenty of salt to the water.  Although salt is certainly not a cornerstone to a healthy diet (and can be nutritionally harmful in excess), the Italians believe that pasta water should taste like the consistency of seawater.  This technique gives pasta incredible flavor, and really adds to the body of a dish.
2.) Once water has come to a boil, add the asparagus and boil for 4-5 minutes.  Make sure to have an ice bath ready (I used a colander filled with ice), and when the asparagus is done, remove from water using tongs, and place on ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Reserve 1/4 cup asparagus water for the sauce.
3.) Bring water back to a boil and add pasta.  Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is "al dente" or "to the tooth" or "to the bite" in Italian. Essentially, the pasta should be firm to the bite, but not too soft that it is soggy or loses its structure when prepared in a dish.  Strain pasta and reserve 1 cup water (you may need this for the final sauce).
4.) While the pasta is cooking, crush 1-2 cloves of garlic and wipe down your prep bowl with it.  Measure out 15oz of ricotta cheese (1.86 cups, or about 1/2 of a standard 32 ounce container) and add to bowl.  Add olive oil, 1/2 of Parmesan, a crushed clove of garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and several dashes of nutmeg;  mix up sauce.  Continue to taste sauce until it has the right spice to it.  I can never really suggest the perfect amount of salt or pepper here because it really does depend on the person.  Additionally, you may wish to add other kitchen spices like Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, rosemary, etc. to the dish, so feel free to experiment with your seasonings.
5.) Add cooked pasta and mix with sauce to integrate.  If you feel the sauce is too clumpy, you can use some of your reserved pasta/asparagus water and smooth it out.  However, you don't have to add this water, it's merely a suggestion.  Continue to taste for flavoring (ricotta is a naturally bland cheese, so figuring out your favorite seasoning combination here is really what can make the dish your own (not to mention tastier!)). 
6.) Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta as a garnish and enjoy!

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