Pasta Primavera

"Primavera" means spring. So, enjoy this flavor and texture packed pasta dish, full of healthy and delicious ingredients. One of the things that makes this dish so lovely is the varying cuts of the vegetables, which provide great mouth feel, texture and flavor.

Serves 2, scale up for more servings.

Ingredients:

1/3 pound linguine, cooked to al dente (prepare while vegetables are being sautéed, using salted water with a teaspoon of oil)

2 tablespoons avocado oil

dash of salt

a few buds of broccoli, thinly sliced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, drained, sliced in half

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup red onion, in small ringlets

1/2 cup cucumbers, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds (leave on peel, use organic and wash thoroughly before use)

a few small red, yellow, orange peppers, sliced into thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, minced (more or less depending on taste preference)

a tiny dash of sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

A few sprigs of oregano, leaves only

While pasta is boiling;

In a medium sauté pan, over slightly less than medium heat, add avocado oil. Let oil warm for a minute, then add in sliced broccoli, stirring in pan. Sauté for a minute, then add in olives, tomatoes, red onion, and cucumbers. Raise heat to medium, continuing to toss and stir for a few minutes until vegetables are bright and somewhat tender. Reduce heat slightly, then add garlic, sugar and red pepper flakes. We add the garlic last as it will burn if we add earlier. Stir and cook for an additional minute or two.

Remove from heat. Add the butter, and cover the pan. Allow the sauté to steam in the pan for a minute or two, then remove the cover. Stir to incorporate melted butter.

Check for salt and heat preference.

Place the sautéed vegetable mix on top of prepared pasta. Top with fresh oregano, and grated cheese, if desired.

You may have heard that ingredients "stick" to pasta better if you leave a bit of the pasta water with the pasta, meaning drain all the water but allowing a few tablespoons of water to remain. This is done because the pasta water gives off starch, which helps the pasta to incorporate with other ingredients. So do that if you can!

What a bright, healthy, flavorful dish.

You may also chill this for another take on these lovely ingredients.