Farmer's Market Veggies - Pasta Medley

Well, I promised you some dishes using those fresh veggies I got from the Farmers' Markets... and I've been procrastinating! As always...
It's not that I didn't want to post about it, but, I didn't feel I had a dish that was worthy of it own weekly entry... so, here is a medley... they are all very simple and I got to practice my food-photography with them (something we really need a better camera and lighting for!) I also got to practice some improvisation which is always fun... some dishes turned out great, like the ones below. Some dishes turned out... well.. not so great... Remember those baby Yukon Golds I bought? I tried throwing those in with some bacon, some fresh parm, and some pasta, and I think some oregano maybe? Just a little dash of herbs... Well, it just didn't make the cut.
Hopefully, as simple and easy as these dishes are, they will add up to the worthiness of one entry... they are all basically assemble, heat and eat. All serve two, which is perfect for just me (at lunchtime), or Daniel and me as there are only two of us to feed anyways!

The first one reminds me a bit of a veggie pizza without the greasy cheese...
Mushroom, Pepper and Asparagus Pasta is, as always with my "pasta tosses," great for lunch. If you use whole-wheat pasta (or even the kind you can get from Trader Joes and the like with flaxseed), the nutty-chewiness would be wonderful with the veggies.

Farmers Market Pasta Toss
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• 2 oz rotini pasta (about 3 or 4 handfuls)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems removed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded/de-ribbed, and julienned
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• pinch sea salt
• ground black pepper

Boil the water for pasta. Place pasta in boiling water and cook until just before al dente. (firmer is better - it will finish in the sauté pan later). In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté for about a minute. Add bell pepper, sauté for another minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until they begin to expel their liquid. Add asparagus. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes and sauté veggies, stirring/tossing until mushrooms are golden brown.
Use a spider (a strainer with a handle) to retrieve pasta. Add pasta to sauté pan and toss. Sprinkle with sea salt. Add black as well if desired.

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The second one, Lemon Pepper Asparagus with Pasta is simply pasta with some sauteed asparagus and some lemon pepper seasoning. Lemon-Pepper seasoning is one of the rare pre-mixed seasonings we will actually pay money for... Why? Because as long as you can find one with no salt in it (try Lowry's), it is a great seasoning to add to chicken, fresh zuchinni and summer squash, and all sorts of other things. I have a hard time using up whole lemons (its odd I know) so I like to keep lemon pepper on hand for the zing I may need when cooking. The lemon pepper I use also has some dried garlic in it, but I added a minced clove to this dish for an extra punch of garlic taste. I also used a mixture of butter and olive oil for this dish for added richness, but you can leave the butter out of course. I'm submitting this one to Ruth's Presto Pasta Nights this week.

Lemon-Pepper Asparagus with Pasta
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• 2-3 oz rotini pasta

• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic


• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning (without salt)


• 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems removed and cut into one-inch pieces
• pinch sea salt

Boil water for pasta, cook until al dente. Meanwhile, saute garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until fragrant (about 1 minute or so). Toss in the butter and add asparagus when the butter has melted. Saute for about 1 minute, then add lemon-pepper seasoning. Saute until asparagus is coated with seasoning, then add drained pasta.
Toss with a pinch of salt until thoroughly mixed. Can be served with fresh shaved Parmesan or added black pepper.

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The third recipe, more of a dinner dish in my mind, is Pasta Primavera. Pasta Primavera is a simple Italian dish made with whatever veggies are in season (Primavera means Spring), some fresh basil, herbs, and Parmesan cheese. It is a great dish that is light enough for a warm spring or summer day. It's funny too, this one, with the most ingredients, is by far the easiest to assemble.

Pasta Primavera for Two
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• 2-3 oz angel hair pasta, cooked


• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil


• 2-3 leaves fresh basil, torn into pieces
  
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb mix
  


• 1 carrot, sliced thin or julienned
  
• 1/2 bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, cut into eighths
• 1 handful baby spinach


• freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• kosher salt

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, saute until fragrant. Add carrot, bell pepper, and onion. Saute one minute. Add tomato, spinach, basil, and dried herbs. Toss to coat. Add pasta, sprinkle with cheese and salt, toss to coat, then serve.

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Well, I hope you enjoyed my take on a few different pasta/veggie combos... or at least liked the pictures... Until next time...