It’s late July, and my wonderful, beautiful, ex-co-teacher Jacy was kind enough to gift me three gigantor squashes from a neighbor’s garden. I sliced, blanched, and froze several weeks worth for my 7 inch pleco fish, but still had tons left. I was looking online for ideas and decided to make a big bowl of pasta primavera. I used a huge (seriously, like 10 inch circumference) zucchini and an even bigger yellow summer squash, peeled and cut into quarter-to-half-inch strips. I also added red and green bell pepper, carrots, onion, and sundried tomato. You can easily veganize this by leaving out the parm. This made a colorful, fresh Saturday lunch!
Summer Harvest Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 2 large yellow summer squash, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 2 bell peppers, any color (I like red), cut into thin strips
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 C canola oil
- salt and black pepper
- 2 T butter (I use Earth Balance)
- 1 1/2 C sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil), rough chop
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb pasta (I like bowtie for this)
- 1/2 C parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- Green onions (garnish)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss zucchini, squash, bell peppers, carrots, and onions in canola oil, salt, and pepper. Roast (may take 2 half sheet pans) for 20-25 minutes until edges begin to brown. Meanwhile, boil water in large pot and cook pasta. Saute sundried tomatoes in butter on medium-low heat for 5 minutes to warm through. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with roasted vegetables, sundried tomatoes, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with green onions.
It’s the middle of the July and I’ve come down with some stupid summer virus. It’s nothing serious, but enough to put a damper on funtimes for a few days. For dinner tonight I was craving something warm and vegetable-ey to pump some nutrients into my system. I found a Giada minestrone recipe and modified it to my own taste. It was delicious–hearty and fresh, just the right mix of crisp and tender veggies, and warm, but not so much that it didn’t feel summery. The collard greens were my favorite part. They held their own in the soup, adding a big presence and a deliciously earthy bite. Just leave out the parm to make it vegan!
Minestrone with Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb collard greens, roughly chopped
- 1 large potato, cubed
- 14.5 can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 t thyme
- 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 oz small shell pasta
- 32 oz vegetable broth (I used Better Than Bouillon No-Beef Base)
- Shredded parmesan
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the collard greens and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with juice) and thyme. Simmer until the greens are wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend entire can of cannellini beans with 2 cups of the broth in a blender until smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, red kidney beans, shell pasta, and remaining broth to the pot. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender and pasta is cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded parmesan.
The Portly Vegetarian 