Refinery29 is participating in First Lady Michelle Obama's #GimmeFive challenge. To learn more, click here.
As part of our response to the First Lady's #GimmeFive Challenge, we called up some of our favorite food bloggers and asked them each to teach us an easy, five-ingredient recipe. Emily Sundberg's recipes prove that we don't need a trillion ingredients to make a tasty dish. We assigned her pasta from our #GimmeFive ingredient list, knowing that she would come back with something fresh and unexpected. As always, she did not disappoint.
The best part about pasta is either what you put on it or what you pair with it. A healthy way to enjoy pasta with added nutrients is to do a 1-to-1 ratio of pasta to vegetables. Now that it’s spring, there are so many in-season veggies to enjoy; carrots are brighter, peas are sweeter, and there are more available for a better price. I chose radishes, snap peas, and carrots for my in-season vegetables, and threw in edamame for added protein. This is an easy, no-mess meal that I cooked and photographed in my tiny kitchen, so you can, too! Feel free to switch it up depending on the season (tomatoes in summer, squash in fall), but you can’t go wrong with that vegetable-to-pasta ratio.
The best part about pasta is either what you put on it or what you pair with it. A healthy way to enjoy pasta with added nutrients is to do a 1-to-1 ratio of pasta to vegetables. Now that it’s spring, there are so many in-season veggies to enjoy; carrots are brighter, peas are sweeter, and there are more available for a better price. I chose radishes, snap peas, and carrots for my in-season vegetables, and threw in edamame for added protein. This is an easy, no-mess meal that I cooked and photographed in my tiny kitchen, so you can, too! Feel free to switch it up depending on the season (tomatoes in summer, squash in fall), but you can’t go wrong with that vegetable-to-pasta ratio.
Spaghetti With Spring Farmers' Market Vegetables
Serves 4
1 package of spaghetti (regular, whole wheat, semolina, quinoa — whatever pasta you prefer)
1 cup snap peas, chopped, or edamame, shelled (or both!)
5 radishes, sliced thinly, greens separated
5 large carrots, sliced, or 10 small carrots
4 tbsp olive oil 1. Heat the oil in pan over medium heat. After a minute, add snap peas/edamame, carrots, and radish greens. If you like garlic, add some crushed garlic and sauté. After about 5 minutes, your vegetables will soften.
2. Turn the heat up to high for the last 5 minutes so they get some crispy color. Take off heat when complete.
3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed in salted water. I like mine al dente, and if you use a gluten-free brand, you should avoid over-cooking.
4. Add spaghetti to the pan with the vegetables and greens and stir together.
5. Add to a serving bowl and top with thinly sliced radish for crunch. Add salt and pepper and serve.
Serves 4
1 package of spaghetti (regular, whole wheat, semolina, quinoa — whatever pasta you prefer)
1 cup snap peas, chopped, or edamame, shelled (or both!)
5 radishes, sliced thinly, greens separated
5 large carrots, sliced, or 10 small carrots
4 tbsp olive oil 1. Heat the oil in pan over medium heat. After a minute, add snap peas/edamame, carrots, and radish greens. If you like garlic, add some crushed garlic and sauté. After about 5 minutes, your vegetables will soften.
2. Turn the heat up to high for the last 5 minutes so they get some crispy color. Take off heat when complete.
3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed in salted water. I like mine al dente, and if you use a gluten-free brand, you should avoid over-cooking.
4. Add spaghetti to the pan with the vegetables and greens and stir together.
5. Add to a serving bowl and top with thinly sliced radish for crunch. Add salt and pepper and serve.