There was a little farmers market that set up a stand on campus yesterday with gorgeous tomatoes, sunflowers, and other green and flowery things. I got a bunch of swiss chard to incorporate into a dinner I've been planning on making for a while.
I made a recipe from the Shape October 2008 issue for whole-grain penne with broccoli and kale. Except for substituting swiss chard for kale, I followed the recipe to the T. I thought it turned out pretty well...
Dinner on the floor again... almost an indecent photo, just keep your eyes averted.
A really interesting thing about this recipe is that the pasta is cooked in green tea. I've heard of cooking it in the water that's used to cook vegetables (to maximize nutrient intake) but the tea was a new one. As promised by Shape, it gave the pasta an almost spinach taste.
Serves 4
6 green tea bags
2 1/2 cups dry multigrain or whole- wheat penne (I used whole wheat)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
2 cups small inner flowering kale, coarsely chooped (I think this would work with any big green leafy vegetable: bok choy, swiss chard, maybe even a small portion of ruhubarb to give it a sweeter taste)
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup part- skim ricotta
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
Parmigiano- Reggiano, to grate as a garnish
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper to taste, preferably freshly ground
Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large saucepan. Add tea bags; turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Bring tea back to a boil, add pasta, and cook according to package directions, adding broccoli and kale during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, ricotta, oil, vinegar, and garlic; mix well. Drain pasta and cooked vegetables; add to bowl and toss well. Transfer to plates and top with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
I was in quite a rush to get out the door after dinner and get to Minneapolis for a show. Playing was Pepi Ginsberg, Walter Meego, and Ra Ra Riot. Even though it went on pretty late, it was a lot of fun! One of the guys from Walter Meego asked me what was going on after the show (it was a pretty small venue) and I totally failed that test with an "Um... I'm going home, but you're the band so you should make the fun." Riiiiight.
I got home at around 1:30 and wanted something to eat. I didn't want to turn all the lights on because Jalene went to bed, so I had a yogurt (10/ $5!) and a Kashi bar. Sorry about the photo quality, but I didn't want to keep fiddling because my camera's pretty loud.
I had a little bit of beer throughout the night but since I've been "abstaining," it felt very strange and I got very full very fast.
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