Friday, 4 September 2015

Angel hair pasta with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach

No matter how big the pile of vegies I prepare, once I mix them into pasta, they all but disappear.  Especially greens such as spinach.  Yet if I know there are vegies in there, it seems a little healthier.  I also feel consoled if I have started the day with a green smoothie and eaten dip and vegies for lunch.  Besides, this dish was really about using up some angel hair pasta I opened by mistake.

On the second night we ate this, I had this with brussels sprouts and corn.  I was really pleased that Sylvia had a serving without too much fuss.  This is great progress for her, even if I did find some pasta with minimal "bits".  However on the third night when I put our remains into a vegan cauliflower cheese soup, she was less enthused with it.

Such is the whimsy of a 6 year old who thinks singers claiming to "be true" are singing about "beetroot", who wonders if planting a finger nail clipping will grow a whole finger nail, and who finds much of life's excitment to be found in a wobbly tooth.

The recipe was inspired by this Angel hair pasta with arugula (rocket), feta cheese, tomatoes and pine nuts recipe.  As is often the case, I found the recipe that looked about right and then set about devising dinner according to what was about rather than what was in the recipe. It was excellent comfort food that could be made quickly on the weekend.

I am sending this pasta to Caroline for her Formula 1 Foods challenge (Italy),  Lucy and Lauren for Fabulous Foodie Fridays and Jac for Meat Free Mondays.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Strawberry sushi with chocolate sauce
Two year ago: Oreos, Child's Play and Sesame Street
Three years ago: Alphabakes: Creamy pasties with peas or pumpkin
Four years ago: WHB Apricot Delight and Dusty Magazine Clippings
Five years ago: Smoky Parsnip Muffins
Six years ago: Superhero Cake – Kapow!
Seven years ago: Choc chip and cherry cookies

Angel hair pasta with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach
An original recipe by Green Gourmet Giraffe
serves 6

500g angel hair pasta
100g feta
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
2 good handfuls of spinach, chopped
4-6 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp mustard powder

Cook pasta until al dente (this was 3 minutes for my pasta) and then toss with the remaining ingredients.  Serve with extra parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

On the stereo:
Stone Roses - self titled
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18 comments:

  1. Lucy @ Bake Play Smile4 September 2015 at 18:06

    Ahhhh this is exactly how I love my pasta! Light and without a heavy sauce. Absolutely delicious. Pinning this to make next week. Thanks for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party xx

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:21

      Thanks Lucy - it was a nice light sauce - hope you enjoy it

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  2. Gluten Free Alchemist5 September 2015 at 03:53

    Oh to be 6 again and find wonder in the simplest things (and know that we can speak our mind about what we don't like!)
    Sometimes the best meals come from someone else's inspired recipes adulterated to incorporate the contents of the fridge and larder! Pasta is perfect for using stuff up....

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:23

      Thanks Kate - I love a springboard for inspiration - an idea and then a poke around in the fridge - and pasta is a lovely blank canvas for so much :-) And yes it would be lovely to speak our minds about what we don't like as much as kids do

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  3. Kari5 September 2015 at 04:38

    I think angel hair pasta may be my favourite type and I like the vegetables snuck in here! Sylvia and I obviously differ in our feelings towards wobbly teeth though - I have always found them a bit horrible and mine were traumatic rather than exciting.

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:27

      Thanks Kari - I had been a bit bemused about what to make with angel hair pasta and then when I searched my blog I found that I had actually used it in more recipes than I had realised. Sylvia is fascinated by her wobbly teeth - sorry to hear it wasn't as fun for you.

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  4. Cakelaw5 September 2015 at 10:27

    This pasta looks delish! A fab way to hide veges if you had fussy kids.

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:27

      Thanks Cakelaw - sadly there were too many green bits for Sylvia's liking - you would be amazed at her attention to detail in finding any bits of green :-)

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  5. Unknown5 September 2015 at 11:46

    Sounds great. I actually quite like the sound of the leftover cauliflower soup on it.
    Sylvia sounds so completely adorable =) I wish I could still find joy in things like wobbly teeth ;p

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:31

      Thanks Kimmy - have added the link to the soup - had forgotten about that! I think I have more joy not to have any wobbly teeth (that would worry me at my age - ha ha)

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  6. Veganopoulous6 September 2015 at 10:27

    I love how kids mishear (hear!) lyrics. My daughter thinks that Rhianna-Kanye-Paul McCartney song says "I'm gonna make it back home to Bunnings Warehouse". I don't know what it is with the huge piles of veg disappearing, I have a mountain of mushrooms and spinach here and no doubt they will vanish.

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:32

      Thanks Faye - what! you mean there aren't songs by Rhianna, Kanye and McCartney about bunnings:-) At least when I see the piles of vegies I know they are in my dinner but it is bemusing how diminished they look under a pile of pasta

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  7. Lisa7 September 2015 at 08:10

    This pasta sounds yum! I like all the leftover reincarnated versions too.

    I think a whole post could be devoted to misheard song lyrics!! :-)

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    1. Johanna GGG8 September 2015 at 21:33

      Thanks Lisa - I love a good pasta reincarnation :-) And yes I have had some amusing discussions about overheard lyrics

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  8. Unknown7 September 2015 at 13:45

    This look delicious! I love adding veggies into my pasta too :)

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  9. Jennifer9 September 2015 at 05:38

    LOVE all of the color in this dish!

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  10. Caroline Cowe19 September 2015 at 04:45

    Thanks for sharing with Formula 1 Foods! I'm always on the look out for interesting pasta recipes and this looks great; and a good way to get in some more veg.

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