Lemon Garlic Pasta

Pasta and I have been good friends for a very, very long time. (See Exhibit A: my ever-expanding waistline). In fact, I'm so in love with pasta that one of my uncles has been calling me "Noodles" since I was around 11 or 12 years old. (Back then, my favorite meal to make was a gigantic tower of spinach-flavored spaghetti, slathered with butter and garlic salt - eh.)

Despite my remaining affection for the nickname Noodles, I do like to think that my pasta tastes have matured a bit since I was little. These days, I tend to stick to a handful of my favorite sauces (aglio e olio & pesto) and types of pasta (penne & spaghetti). However, I do like to throw something new into the mix occasionally, just to keep things interesting.


So, in the name of trying something different, and in keeping with my Pantry Challenge (using stuff that I already have on hand), I decided to whip up some pasta. My priority was to conserve as many ingredients as possible - so I wouldn't be tempted into shopping any time soon - which meant that sticking to a pre-printed recipe was probably the best idea. (Sometimes I tend to get a little bit carried away.) Thus, I decided to flip through "Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan" for some inspiration.

Hmmm...

Lemons? Check.
Garlic? Check.
Pasta? Check.

Yep, it was almost that easy (though I do have to admit that pg. 130 was already "flagged" - that's the first thing I like to do when I get a new cookbook). Either way, before I knew it, I was on my way to creating a surprisingly simple, tasty meal - ED&BV's Lemon Garlic Pasta.

The end result was a light and almost summery tasting meal. The pasta was citrus-y, a bit creamy (thanks to the addition of the pasta-cooking water), and just garlic-y enough. Plus, even CH - who's very anti-lemon - liked it. Awesome.

Recipe: Lemon Garlic Pasta
(recipe from "Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan")

3/4 lb. dry spaghetti
1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 - 3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 1/2 - 4 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1.) Cook pasta according to package directions.
2.) Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, salt, agave nectar, mustard, & oil (starting with 3 1/2 Tbsp.). Set aside.
3.) When pasta is almost done, remove 1 c. of pasta water & reserve.
4.) Drain pasta (do not rinse!), return to pot, & toss with lemon dressing, toasted nuts, & parsley.
5.) If pasta seems too dry, add some pasta water, 1 Tbsp. at a time.
6.) Season to taste, adding extra olive oil & salt & pepper, if desired.

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Can you find the baby parsley butterfly?