Herb, Spinach, and Ricotta “Pasta”
Serves 4

The April issue of Cooking Light caught my eye last weekend while I was waiting in the grocery line. It grabbed my attention largely due to the delectable looking pasta dish on its cover. (You know how it is when you are not supposed to have something, you want it even more). After a quick flip, I decided that it included enough veg-friendly recipes to warrant a purchase. I am extremely happy with my decision, as I now have a bunch of recipes marked in it. This puppy is an adaptation of the cover recipe that made me drool. I swapped out pasta for spaghetti squash. Since I did not have pasta cooking water to use in the sauce as instructed, I also made a few changes there, adding a bit of cream cheese, garlic, and veggie broth to the sauce for flavor. (Likely making it less “light” than originally intended, but mighty tasty! Although, I did use part-skim ricotta instead of whole, and did not need to add olive oil with the sauce that I made). The abundance of fresh herbs in this dish make it perfect spring fare.

INGREDIENTS

“Pasta”

1 medium spaghetti squash

3 cups baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Sauce

2/3 cup part-skim ricotta

3 tablespoons cream cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

3 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese

white pepper and kosher salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place squash flesh down in a shallow baking pan large enough that both halves lay flush. Add 2 inches of water, cover, and bake until squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 40-45 minutes. (Be careful not to overcook your squash or you will not get the lovely firm strands needed to stand in as pasta).

Step Two: Allow the squash to cool a bit. Using oven mitts and handling carefully, scrape with a fork to separate spaghetti squash strands. Place into a bowl and set aside. (This can even be done the day before, just cover and place in the fridge).

Step Three: In a medium stockpot, over medium-low heat, combine ricotta and cream cheese. Use a heat-proof spoon or whisk, and stir until cream cheese has melted. Add garlic and allow to cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in vegetable broth. Add Romano cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste with white pepper and kosher salt.

Step Four: Add cooked spaghetti squash to the sauce. Stir to coat with sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and allow squash strands to heat through. Add spinach and stir to combine with squash. Cover and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach is just slightly wilted. Uncover and add chives, parsley, and dill. Stir gently to combine. Remove from heat and serve immediately, with additional grated Romano if desired.

Source: Adapted from “Pappardelle with Baby Spinach, Herbs, and Ricotta,” Cooking Light, April 2011. View the original recipe on MyRecipes.com.

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes
Serves 4

This is one of those dishes that can’t really go wrong in my book because it includes some of my very favorite things to eat—asparagus, grape tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and goat cheese—I mean, what’s not to love? The ease of preparation makes me adore it all the more. For the sake of having less pots cluttering my stovetop during dinner prep, I chose to blanch my asparagus in the morning and keep it in the fridge. Since I needed to reheat it before serving, I opted to cut each stalk in half and toss them into the pan after allowing the tomatoes and garlic to cook in the vinegar, instead of serving the tomato mixture atop whole stalks.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Step Two: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper.

Source: Cooking Light, April 2011. View the recipe on MyRecipes.com.