Vegetarian Week: Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus and Homemade Tomato Sauce

At the beginning of the challenge, I was fearful that all I would eat this week would be Lentil Soup, and if not lentil soup, then some variation of "vegetable" soup -- but that would be boring - wouldn't it? Yes... So as I was feeling a bit "behind the bars" with this vegetarian food challenge, I realized I can make pasta. :D (note my behind the bar photo to the left -- haha, had a little too many bars, whoops)

Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus and Tomato sauce. That's vegetarian (and healthy)!

I didn't follow a recipe, I just "winged" it. Figured this couldn't be too difficult to do.

6 -8 servings; takes approximate 1 hour (includes preparation time)

Ingredients:

1 lb Delallo Organic Whole Wheat Penne Rigate
1 bunch of asparagus cut into thirds
olive oil

Tomato Sauce (approximate measurements)
- 1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen Whole Plum Tomatoes, cut or tear apart the tomatoes (then why not get the diced tomatoes? I prefer the whole, but you can get the diced if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 to 1/4 cups of starchy water (e.g. pasta water; or use cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoons Basil
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- Diced Garlic - 5-6 cloves
- Olive oil
- sugar (if you like your sauce sweeter)

Tools
- a sauce pan
- a sautee pan
- a straining ladle
- a strainer
- cutting board, knife, bowls

Boil a pot of water for both the pasta and the asparagus. Put some salt into the boiling water and add in the cut asparagus. Boil for 2-3 minutes (or until the water starts bubbling again - I like my asparagus slightly crunchy). Take the asparagus out of the boiling water with the straining ladle (e.g. leave the water in the pot) and put the vegetables in the side. Continue to boil the water, add the pasta and cook the pasta per the package instructions. When done, pour the pasta into a strainer and mix in a little bit of olive oil (to prevent the pasta from sticking to one another).

As you're waiting for the pasta to cook, heat your sautee pan and put some olive oil in the pan. When the pan is hot, throw in the garlic and let it sizzle until fragrant (but not browned), then add in the tomatoes and 1 to 1/2 cups of water (use the starchy pasta water if the pasta is done). Throw in the tomato paste, the basil, the oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce cook for 10-15 minutes until you see the sauce sort of thicken to your consistency. Add sugar if you like your sauce to be slightly more al dente.

If you are not going to eat all of this today, I would suggest plating your own plate of pasta, then add some asparagus and pour the sauce on top.

However, if this is for a party, you can mix the pasta, asparagus and sauce in your large serving bowl (or the sautee pan if you want to avoid cleaning another bowl).

And that's it... this is your pasta (well this is it if you individually plated the items on a plate)

Yippee! I made it through another successful day of Vegetarian Eating!