Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes

Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes
It is important to peel the tomatoes-the first time I made this, I left the peels on and they all came off when I added the warm pasta-kinda yucky!
Feel free to use heirloom tomatoes-will change up the flavor and add more color. SUPER yummy!
Can use other pasta, just be sure to cook according to package directions. Can also use whole wheat pasta.

I modified this recipe from one I found here: Spaghetti with Raw Tomatoes

Sorry for the blurry pic! Was the only one I took :-/
 
 Ingredients:

 About 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
About 10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves peeled garlic
12 ounces angel hair pasta
salt and pepper-to taste

Directions:

1.  Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil, fresh basil, whole garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Toss gently, then cover and set aside in a cool place. Allow flavors to meld for about 30 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta  al dente according to directions on the package. Drain.

3.  Remove garlic from sauce and discard. Add pasta to sauce, mix, and serve.


Serves 4.

Sweet Potato Farfalle

Sweet Potato Farfalle

This is sooooo good!!
The first time I made it, I was unsure-it sounded a little strange to me, but I tried it anyway. I'm so glad I did! Even my youngest loves this, and she doesn't like anything with onions or that has any flavor whatsoever!

Ingredients:
6 ounces farfalle pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Herbes d' Provence
kosher salt
4 cups kale, washed and sliced
1 can cannellini beans (14.5 oz), drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Parmesan cheese-to taste

Directions:
1.  Bring a large pot of water (with a heavy pinch of salt) to a boil. Add pasta and boil for 8 - 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2.  While pasta is cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, pecans, onions, and sweet potatoes-saute for 5 minutes.
3.  Add in the balsamic vinegar, herbes d' provence, and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Cook until sweet potatoes are tender.
4.  Add in kale, beans, garlic, cooked pasta, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until kale is wilted and cooked down-about 3 minutes.
5.  Add parmesan cheese to top after serving.

Makes 4 servings.

I modified this recipe from one I found at The Fresh 20 when I was a member-they are a great source for healthy meal plans! Great simple recipes with tons of fresh ingredients.

Yummy Pasta!

I'm not a fan of cooking... But I'm working on it!!

I didn't feel like cooking dinner, so thought I'd try a simple pasta recipe I had pinned. It is from the PopSugarFood website--here is the link:  http://www.yumsugar.com/Spaghetti-Garlic-Olive-Oil-Chili-Flakes-21398824/

It looked quick and tasty, and I was pretty hungry. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly (although I will admit-I did not measure anything. Just estimated). It was soooo good!

My younger daughter doesn't like spicy food-or pretty much anything with any flavor. (Unless it is sweet. She loves "sweet" flavors!) So first I mixed everything in except the chili flakes and dished some out for her. Then added the chili flakes for my older daughter and I. We all added shredded parmesan. It was surprisingly tasty!! I say "surprisingly" because it was so simple.

My youngest said hers was kind of bland, so she added a little bit of chili flakes. And liked it! I was impressed!

Here is the recipe:
Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Chili Flakes
Ingredients:
10 ounces angel hair pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. Cook pasta al dente according to directions on package.
2. Strain pasta and place in serving dish. (I put it back into the pot I cooked it in. No need to get more dishes dirty!!)
3. Add garlic, chili flakes, oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
4. Serve. Add shredded paremesan to taste.