The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

Ever peer inside the vegetable drawer and discover something you’d forgotten about? Something fresh and colorful you’d purchased with good intentions, but never quite got around to preparing? Something that, if not dealt with soon, will probably be destined for the compost bin? Happens to me all the time.

Just the other night I was digging around the fridge looking for something to make for dinner (planning is not my strong point) and found a couple of pretty bunches of asparagus that I’d picked up a week or so earlier and promptly forgotten about. Not one to let a good veggie intentionally go to waste (especially one full of potassium, vitamin A and folate), I set out to incorporate the asparagus into that night’s dinner. A few additional ingredients and about fifteen minutes later, and dinner was born.

I can’t tell you how much I love flexible dishes like this. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand. You can add chicken or shrimp for a little protein. You can trade the goat cheese for a little shaved Parmesan. The possibilities make my mouth water. Make it as written or make it your own, just don’t forget to check your veggie drawer first!

Pasta with Asparagus and Pine Nuts
12 ounces pasta (your choice)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1.5″ pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces goat cheese

Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and garlic and cook until the pine nuts are toasted and garlic is just crispy (but being careful not to burn) – 1-3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, another 2-4 minutes.

Add the asparagus mixture to the cooked, drained pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into serving dishes and top with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

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http://culinography.wordpress.com

I spent six days traveling recently, and I realized just how far we can wander from our normal eating habits while away from home. We dash from meeting to meeting or tourist stop to tourist stop, grabbing a coffee and a bagel here and an antipasto platter there, all while trying to pass these things off as “meals.” About midway through my trip, I realized that I was feeling run down and not quite myself, and I knew that the foods I was eating (or, more appropriately, the foods I wasn’t eating) had a lot to do with it.

I upped my water intake. I made better meal choices, even when they weren’t the most convenient, and I made sure that I was getting plenty of veggies. Next thing I knew, I felt my energy levels picking up and I was back in the game. Inspired by this not-so-subtle reminder about how important “real” food can be to your diet, I came home and made some homemade comfort food with a nutritious kick: roasted cauliflower.

I love all roasted vegetables, but I think cauliflower is my hands-down favorite. It’s also loaded with good things like fiber, potassium and folic acid. It pairs nicely with so many things, from chicken to fish–even tossed into a little whole wheat pasta. Or you can just eat the florets all by themselves. That’s what I did!

Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, trimmed into florets
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

Place florets in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Roast 20-25 minutes until tender, crispy and golden, turning once. Devour.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Looking for more great recipes? Visit my blog at
http://culinography.wordpress.com