April is the month when you may start to find local greens and wild mushrooms at your neighborhood farmers market or natural food store. It is always surprising how early in the season delicate lettuces and greens can be grown. Our local CSA starts to deliver more and more young tender spring greens to our natural food store, and this is the perfect time to enjoy them in your recipes. If you can find wild mushrooms, they’ll make this dish superb!

Serves 4

Ingredients

 1 (12-ounce) package extra-wide egg noodles
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
5 ounces mixed spring greens (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups sliced with wild mushrooms
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup vegetable broth, homemade (see Tip, page 183) or store-bought
½ cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1 In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the egg noodles and 1 teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to keep the water at a low boil, and cook until the noodles are done, about 10 minutes (or cook according to the package directions). Drain the noodles and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in greens. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium-low heat, combine the olive oil, flour, mushrooms, and onion. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms and onion are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Slowly add the vegetable broth and white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the pan from the heat.

3 Pour the mushroom mixture over the noodles and greens and toss to coat. Drizzle with olive oil and top with shaved Parmesan.

Excerpted with permission. “Pure Food: Eat Clean with Seasonal, Plant-Based Recipes” by Veronica Bosgraaf. Published by Clarkson Potter, 2015. Photographs by Quentin Bacon.

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This pasta recipe gets a burst of freshness from a bright lemon sauce, perfectly balanced with parmesan cheese and cream.

In Italy, the lemons are the size of watermelons. While that may be a slight exaggeration, some varieties that grown on the west coast of Italy are almost 5 times the size of the lemons grown in citrus-producing states like Florida. Italians take their food, especially their produce, very seriously. And in the region of the Amalfi Coast, lemons are the pride and joy and superstar of many regional dishes. Towns dotted along the seaside cliffs have winding roads and narrow houses and you’ll find lemon trees just about everywhere.

This is not a particularly healthy dish because you’re going to use heavy cream and a generous glug of it at that. But the lightness of lemon zest makes the taste feel effortlessly light. It’s a serious treat, something so simple and perfect and worth the extra calories. It’s a delightful dish for summer suppers, alongside a big green salad or roasted asparagus.

Luscious Amalfi Coast Pasta Recipe with Lemon Sauce 
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 servings fresh fettuccine or linguini
2 lemons 
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

This dish moves quickly so make sure you have all ingredients on hand. Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Do this 10-15 minutes before you start the sauce so the water is boiling rapidly by the time the sauce is simmering.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat. Using a small box grater or lemon zester, zest both lemons directly into the hot oil. Add the sugar and salt, turn the heat up to medium-high just for two minutes, then add the cream and parmesan and whisk rapidly together. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for five minutes.

Cook the fresh pasta in the boiling water for 3 minutes then use tongs to transfer the pasta to the sauce. Toss with tongs until completely coated and serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper.

Related on Eco Salon

Limoncello Sorbet Recipe 

Zesty Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad 

Nourish Your Body with a Mediterranean Diet Vacation 

Photos by Ally-Jane 

The post Luscious Amalfi Coast Pasta Recipe with Lemon Sauce appeared first on EcoSalon.

Pasta gets a springtime makeover.

Warmer weather means lighter meals. Eating outside. Taking more time enjoying each bite. And while we often think of pasta as a heavy, wintery dish, we can enjoy noodles in the warmer seasons, too, but without the heaviness. This is one of my favorite pasta recipes, not just because it’s so simple and delicious, but because it means spring and summer are finally here.

I use brown rice noodles (Tinkyada’s are so delicious) instead of wheat noodles. We eat wheat in my house, but the rice noodles are a nice way to get a whole grain and they taste better than regular noodles. But feel free to use your favorite pasta.

Vegan pasta is fairly easy to make, and the creamy, cheesy flavor of nutritional yeast gives this dish an excellent taste and texture.

serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 package brown rice linquini
2 small zucchini, medium dice
1 large carrot, julienne slice
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), thinly sliced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chiles
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boil, big enough to cook pasta. Follow directions on package as cooking times may vary. Drain and set aside once done.

While pasta cooks, prepare your vegetables. In a large sauce pan, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium flame. Saute the carrots and zucchini until tender. Be careful not to overcook.  Remove from heat. In a large bowl, mix together the noodles, tomatoes, olives, remaining olive oil and seasonings. Add in the cooked veggies and mix well. Add more olive oil if needed. Top with fresh parsley.

*A note about garlic. I know I’m in the minority and that most people can’t imagine pasta without garlic. I will spare you my sob story about why I hate the stuff (I am not a vampire, I assure you). So, if you feel inclined, go on and add a clove or two if you must. Enjoy…outside!

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: slettvet

The post Vegan Gluten-Free Spring Pasta Recipe with Kalamata Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes appeared first on EcoSalon.