Pasta with Broccoli Sauce
Angel Hair Pasta in green sauce aka broccoli heaven
“When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels”
Ha Ha - New York snow fall and here we are whipping up an angel hair pasta to warm us up. Go crazy eat and move your body = balanced life in and out of the kitchen.
February, coldest month in the northern hemisphere, at least I think so. So, bring out the warming foods. Eating seasonally and feeling the love in our foods is all part of the eating experience. Pasta is probably the most favorite winter comfort food. Once in awhile is a treat and will wake up your mojo. I’m not pushing pasta and high carb foods on you, although, pasta made with healthy and hearty intentions is good for you and can actually calm you and bring out the happy chemicals in your brain. The gut/brain connection is real! A great book recommendation on this topic: Brain Maker: The Power of your gut bacteria in determining your brain’s destiny - David Perlmutter
Food is medicine! Food can harm or heal. Adding broccoli to a sauce? Six cloves of medicinal garlic? Miso Paste? Fresh herbs? I can go on and on. I’m not encouraging a Kraft dinner - even though that can make many pasta lovers happy - I’m referring to mindful pasta dishes that adds loads of ingredients that add to your health, warming your body, and delicious all at the same time.
So, if you’re feeling a bit blah, what you eat can certainly affect how you feel. Treat yourself once in awhile.
Mise En Place - that baguette is calling my name. Whipping it up while my sauce is simmering
steam the broccoli to prep for the sauce - fork tender
Recipe:
6-12 oz broccoli florets - small pieces and steam until fork tender 4-6 cups
8 oz pasta - angel hair, penne, rigatoni or your fave
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion or large shallot - diced
6 garlic cloves - coarsely chopped
pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp miso paste
2 cups veggie broth - easy peezy quick broth: water, veggies, seasoning: salt, pepper, herbamare, herbs…
1-2 tsp lemon zest
Garnish: parmesan cheese (vegan), basil, chopped fresh parsley, pine nuts, Olives - optional
1 tsp arrowroot to thicken sauce - optional
- Steam broccoli florets until they are fork tender and set aside
- cook pasta in 8 cups of water with 1 tbsp salt, drain pasta in colander and save 1 cup of hot pasta water for sauce later on
- in a large pan (make sure it’s large because you will be adding the pasta to the pan after your sauce is ready) add sauce onion/shallot, garlic in oil over medium heat until the aroma melts your heart - about 3 minutes
- stir in the miso paste, then add the steamed broccoli, salt, pepper and veggie broth
- simmer all the ingredients and start breaking apart the broccoli with a spatula or fork into tiny pieces. It will get easier to break apart as it cooks in the sauce - this is a ‘broccoli sauce’ - Tuscany style! Just reminding you!
- continue simmering gently on low heat until half of the liquid evaporates and it becomes the consistency of a thick sauce - 10-15 minutes. If you want to thicken the sauce here’s where you would add the arrowroot.
- add pasta to sauce pan and toss well. Here’s where you’ll add hot pasta water to keep it saucy.
- add the lemon zest
- cooks - now’s your chance to taste and test - add salt, pepper and even some chili flakes if that suits your fancy.
- divide among 4 servings and garnish to your desire.
- enjoy the love that went into this dish.
Genia’s Spoon Me Tips:
To thicken the sauce you can use 1 tsp arrowroot or kuzu powder when making your sauce. It’s my favorite ingredient to thicken any sauce.
While you are simmering your sauce 10-15 minutes here’s a delicious way to add more loving yum to your meal - prep your garlic bread! We’re going high carb - big heart - decadence and a walk afterwards with your loved ones.
Adding extra olive oil or BUTTER to please the crowd will add even more decadence to your pasta dish.
For vegans - non dairy is the way, therefore, go with a vegan parmesan cheese to top on your pasta. Otherwise, for dairy lovers there’s lots to choose from.
For picky eaters that won’t eat their broccoli this is a great way to sneak in the greens. Win Win!
Dig in and stay warm and cozy,
Love Genia