Healthy Chef Lilia's recipe of the month
Celebrate the early days of Spring with a cornucopia of fresh, seasonal flavors: Healthy Chef Lilia’s
PASTA WITH FENNEL, GARLIC, ASPARAGUS, ORANGE AND QUORN GROUNDS.
“This dish is all about great taste and texture – crisp seasonal vegetables and Quorn’s authentic meat-like bite,” she says.
Healthy Chef Lilia’s cost-cutting tip: Green bell peppers are generally less expensive than red, orange and yellow and add just as much texture and flavor.
Ingredients-
Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Makes 4 servings
2 tsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 medium-large fennel bulb, washed, stalks trimmed, thinly sliced (about 2 cups); reserve some of the fronds (i.e. frilly tops) for garnish, if desired
16 thin asparagus, washed, bottoms trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips (try mixing colored peppers to liven the presentation)
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups QUORN™ Grounds
¼ cup orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
½ cup light cream (or fat free Half-and-Half)
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
½ pound whole wheat linguini or spaghetti, cooked; drained Grated Parmesan cheese, as needed
Instructions-
1) Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté until just golden brown (do not burn). Add fennel, asparagus & bell pepper; sauté over medium heat 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
2) Mix in broth, QUORN™, orange juice & zest; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in light cream; continue to simmer until completely heated through. Stir in hot, cooked pasta & red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
3) Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
Make it your own:
• April is a great month for fresh asparagus, but you can always substitute frozen asparagus spears.
• Fresh fennel, available in most grocery stores, has a lovely, mild, licorice-like flavor. If you don’t care for it or can’t find it, substitute 1-1/2 cups frozen, French-style green beans straight from the freezer.
• If you like your pasta a bit “saucier,” stir in a bit of reserved hot pasta cooking water or more hot vegetable broth at the end of the recipe.