Summer Pasta, Two Ways

During the summer, when I want to spend more time out doors and less in the kitchen with the burners on, especially at dinner, I like making a one pot dish that pleases both the parents and the kids, who can be very picky eaters as I'm sure you know. Though we are constantly exploring different vegetables together around here, they each have their own favorites and sometimes that clashes when we are trying to simplify our evening routine without making a dinner movie that leaves a sink full of dishes. I really love hearty pastas that are made from whole grain. They pack a ton of fiber and plant-based protein into one serving. Here, I used a new favorite made by Eden Organics that is a kamut-quinoa spiral. It has 5 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein in a single serving. Whole grain pastas are more filling so you tend to eat a smaller portion. Mixed with vegetables, it becomes a complete meal. I like to eat mine cold with raw vegetables tossed in a homemade vinaigrette over fresh spring mix. The kids really love macaroni and cheese, so I came up with this cauliflower alfredo variation to the traditionally high calorie, saturated fat dish. 

INGREDIENTS

CONFETTI VEGETABLE
1 box of whole grain pasta, such as Eden kamut-quinoa spirals
red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
red onion, diced
shredded carrots
black olives, halved
cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
fresh herbs: parsley, basil, thyme, oregano
spring mix
vinaigrette of your choice or a homemade favorite

CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO
2 tablespoons of cauliflower puree (steamed cauliflower pureed in a blender or food processor with a little water until smooth)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 small pat of butter
splash of lowfat milk
a few grates of parmesan cheese
pinch of salt

SIMPLE HOMEMADE VINAIGRETTE
red wine vinegar
olive oil
(this is 2 to 1 ratio)
a tablespoon or so of dijon mustard
fresh chopped thyme and oregano
grated clove of garlic
a small squeeze of honey
lemon juice to taste
pinch of salt and pepper
add everything to a jar with a lid and shake or add the olive oil last and whisk it in

DIRECTIONS
Salt some boiling water and cook the pasta according to the box. You'll want it to cool to nearly room temperature before you add it to the vegetables so do this ahead of time so that it can cool as you prepare everything else. Prep all of your vegetables for the confetti pasta and add to a mixing bowl. You can make many tasty substitutions here such as grated zucchini or squash, sliced mushrooms, radishes, broccoli etc. Add as much or little as you like - you cannot really get these amounts wrong. Add the parsley and the basil. Make your dressing. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and mix in the vinaigrette. Serve over spring mix and garnish with parmesan cheese. Serve with whole grain toast.

Make the cauliflower alfredo by adding the ingredients to the saucepan the pasta was cooked in, turned on low. Bring it all together with a whisk until warm. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste and consistency preferences. Add the remainder of the pasta to the pan and mix. This sauce is a really healthy diversion from the usual mac and cheese or alfredo because the bulk of it is the cauliflower puree. The rest of the ingredients are used in small amounts to give it a creamy texture. Nutritional yeast is an awesome supplement to savory dishes because it is incredibly high in all of the necessary B vitamins.

This dish requires one pot and only takes about an hour from start to finish.

ENJOY!