Tasty Winter Veggie Pasta
Good gloomy morning, y'all!
I started the day just like every other weekday: before the sun has come up, I stretch my body, touch my toes, and eat my breakfast outside on the porch. I always feel my best in the kitchen, cooking and baking with seasonal ingredients. I start my day off the right way when I'm in the kitchen.
We are nearing the end of the colder months, it seems. Spring produce is coming up colorfully and abundant. Radishes are $2 a pound at the farmer's market, strawberries are ripe and sweet. It's time for summer salads, avocado puddings, easy casseroles, anything filling, but sweet to keep us active in the warmer weather.
I had half of a butternut squash in my produce bowl, along with some parsnips, turnips, and heads of garlic. Thinking how I could make something filling, but fun to cook was a challenge. But the results were absolutely rewarding.
Below find my recipe for Butternut Squash Penne Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato and Crispy Sage and stay tuned next week for my Mashed Turnips and Parsnip Cookies recipes.
Talk to y'all soon!
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons oil (I use grape-seed oil, but olive is fine)
Half of a butternut squash, peeled and diced
Two cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons chopped sage
1/2 yellow onion
Dash of black pepper (optional)
Sundried tomato (optional)
Dash of red pepper flakes
For the pasta:
Penne noodles (I used chickpea noodles for the protein. You can find them here).
Directions:
Warm the oil on a pan over medium heat, and pour the sage into the pan. Let the sage get crispy (just before burning) and set the sage to the side for later.
Add the butternut squash, the garlic, the onion, vegetable broth, and seasoning to the pan. Cook slowly, stirring ocassionally. This should take about 10 minutes. Cook until it comes to a boil.
When the mixture is done, let it cool slightly, before transferring it to a blender. Blend until pureed. Add the red pepper flakes for flavor.
Cook the pasta until reaching desired tenderness.
Pour the sauce all over the noodles. Add the sundried tomatoes and the crispy sage.
Voila!
It doesn't take too long, it's totally filling, and its a farewell ode to the winter harvest season. As far as I am concerned, butternut squash and sage are a flavor that were born to be together. It's delicious, an earthy blend with a sweeter veggie taste. This recipe makes leftovers so you have lunch for a few days, as well! Hears to meal prep!
Let me know if you give it a try.
