Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Roasted Vegetable Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce


Before anyone freaks out about the word "cream" here, let me tell you this recipe is super low calorie.  And it's filling!  It's also really pretty, but my phone really doesn't do it justice.  Leah and I made this up on my birthday (because that's what we do around here on birthdays), and it's absolutely lovely.  Enjoy!

4 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 small onions or 1 large onion
10 cloves garlic (this number is negotiable, but we really like garlic)
1 head broccoli
1 bunch asparagus
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 bell peppers (not green)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cubes chicken bouillon
5 oz. rotini pasta*
2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1. Chop the onions into small pieces.  Add to skillet with 1 tsp. olive oil.  Crush the garlic.  Heat slowly, allowing onions to caramelize.

2. Chop broccoli, asparagus and peppers into bite sized pieces (as shown).  Put all three into a bowl with tomatoes and remaining olive oil.  Toss with a little salt and pepper to coat.  Transfer vegetables to glass baking dish and roast at 450 for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nice and roasty.

3. While stirring onions frequently, add oregano, basil, thyme, pepper and salt.  Once onions are caramelized, add flour (like a roux).  Once flour is incorporated, add water, bouillon and lemon juice.  Boil until mixture thickens and turn to simmer.

4. Cook pasta according to directions.  (We do this simultaneously with step 3.)

5. Once vegetables are nice and roasted and pasta is soft, drain the pasta and remove vegetables from the oven.  Add the cream to the sauce.  Then add the pasta and vegetables and stir together.  Serve hot with a tiny bit of parmesan sprinkled on top.

*We use Barilla white fiber pasta.  Trust me, it's worth the extra couple cents (it's still cheap!).  It has more protein and fiber than normal pasta but tastes just like your average rotini.  It's seriously a miracle.

Calories per serving: 325.  Fat: 8g. Carbohydrates: 54g. Protein: 9g. Fiber: 9g.  (NOTE: Calories do not include parmesan.  We calculated the calories using the Barilla white fiber pasta.)

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