HELLLOOO SANDALS!! The breeze is fresh; the days are long and bright. The trees are green and leafy. Harvest Home Farmers' Markets are opening across the city and bursting with local fresh fruits and veggies. The fresh taste of summer has arrived in a rainbow of colors!
Sweet juicy strawberries, crunchy radishes, crispy lettuce and kale, velvety spinach, summer squash, tender asparagus, succulent cherry tomatoes and plump peas bursting from their pods. Picked at peak freshness and delivered directly to our markets by the farmers who grow them, ripened in sunny fields in the tri-state area. Super fresh Local produce tastes so much BETTER! Plus, direct from farm-to-market produce has more nutrition and costs LESS!
Find a market in your neighborhood by clicking HERE. Our farmers accept SNAP, WIC, EBT and offer NYC HealthBucks.
Freshen Up your pasta for summer with Pasta En Primavera, a colorful, light pasta dish made fast so you can spend more time outdoors!
Quick and easy! The pasta and the veggies cook together at the same time. (See directions in our Recipes section). Cherry tomatoes, garlic and water from the pasta, some cheese and PRESTO! In half an hour, a delicious, nutritious rainbow of summer flavors...And low in calories.
Ingredients:
- 12 oz of corkscrew pasta like fusilli
- ½ lb of sugar snap peas, broccoli florets or both **And remember, trimmed and peeled broccoli stalks are a great addition to any dish**
- 2 carrots cut in small strips
- 1 yellow or orange pepper, cut in thin strips
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup of roughly chopped fresh mint or 2 - 3 Tbsp of your favorite herb
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 oz of goat cheese, feta or queso fresco
Of course, every rainbow has a pot of gold (all the vitamins and minerals for your healthy summer body!) Vitamins A, B, C and K plus minerals such as calcium, chromium, phosphorous and thiamin are in this yummy dish.
Be creative and make your own "rainbow" with your favorite veggies. It's the perfect way to celebrate summer!
Pasta en Primevera
Recipe
Ingredients
- See text above.
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the fusilli, rotini or any corkscrew pasta and cook for the time given on the label.
- Add veggies (the sugar snap peas and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper) to the boiling water during the last 3 mins of cooking.
- Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 mins.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and veggies. Add the mint, parmesan and goat cheese. Toss to combine.
More Pasta Goodness
Tips
Cooking Advice
- Make a timetable for adding ingredients: take the cooking time for the pasta, subtract the time to cook the veggies and you'll know exactly when to add them.
- For crisper veggies decrease the time; for softer ones add another minute. Cook them however you like.
- Add any veggies you like. Figure out how long to cook them and add to your timetable. Carrots take longer to cook than broccoli or sugar snap peas. Add chopped greens for about 2 mins or less.
- Mint adds a light refreshing taste. Use what you like and match your herbs with the veggies you choose. For fresh herbs, use ½ cup; for dried use 2 - 3 Tbsp.
- Any pasta will work. For best taste use small Corkscrew pasta because it holds the light sauce better and packs more flavor in every bite.
Nutrition aka What You Get
- Chopped spinach adds iron, a protein boost, more color and flavor.
- Goat cheese contains calcium that is easier for us to absorb, better for strong bones.
- Asparagus, cut in small pieces, has antioxidants and vitamin E for your immune system, plus a great source of protein.
- Peas have antioxidants for stronger immune system and energy, high protein content, plus vitamins C and E.
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