Saturday
Pasta with broccoli and gorgonzola sauce (recipe in the comments)
Mixed greens with fresh garlic dressing
New Mexican hot chocolate
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This is just the sort of recipe that makes me swoon. It's got the comfort inherent to pasta; the creaminess of a rich, cheesy sauce; and lots of vegetables for taste and color. This was inspired by another one of Whole Foods' recipes, but we dramatically lightened it and far more vegetables have come into play. This one will certainly go back into the rotation.
Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Broccoli, grape or cherry tomatoes
Time: 35 minutes
Make ahead: Probably best not.
Reaction
J: "Oh gorgonzola, I adore you."
M: "Sweet Cheesus."
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It's been said that the average American family is stuck in a ten dinner rut, meaning they repeat the same ten meals over and over, week after week. I can't believe that's true, so here's a forum to write about "what's for dinner?". I want to cook a wide variety of meals that are tasty, easy to prepare, inexpensive, healthy, and sustainable. Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.
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2 comments:
Penne and Broccoli with Gorgonzola Sauce – J (adapted from Whole Foods)
Serves 4
1 pound penne
2 crowns fresh broccoli, chopped into flowerets
½ cup organic chicken broth
½ cup half and half
¾ cup gorgonzola crumbles
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Ground pepper, to taste
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. After the pasta has cooked for about 7 minutes add the broccoli and boil for 5 more minutes. Fork test broccoli and pasta for done-ness. Drain.
In a large sauté pan, bring chicken broth and cream to a simmer and stir in gorgonzola. Allow cheese to melt completely. Add drained pasta and broccoli, lemon zest, and tomatoes. Gently stir until well combined. Taste for salt and pepper (and lemon juice?).
This extremely cheese-ist post has inspired me, one of the many lactose intolerant, to share the wisdom I have accrued over my four milkless years of life.
First off, I should say that yes, there are lactaid pills which provide the lactose enzyme and therefore can aid in your digestion of milk. There are however those of us who are so lactose intolerant as to make an entire bottle necessary at every cheesy meal. I do occasionally use the pills for a special occasion, but I found that a lifestyle change was more effective. Here is my wisdom:
1. YOGURT! This is truly the greatest food ever created. The bacteria in the yogurt do all the work for you and you can sit down to enjoy such diverse foods as, a cup of yogurt, frozen yogurt, mango lassies (there is a reason I love Indian food more than any other) yogurt shakes (which if you squint taste sort of like ice cream shakes!)
2. Amy's frozen meals. Now, I know that this is a "cooking" blog, but when I lived on my own, I had "frozen meal night" and Amy's was my savior. They have a macaroni and soy cheese which tastes a little weird but if you add apple sauce covers the soy-ness and leaves the creaminess. Amy's also has TONS of lactose-free options, doesn't use preservatives, is healthy and genuinely really tasty.
3. Hard cheeses. Hard cheeses have less lactose in them. Parmesan swiss and sharp cheddar in moderation can go a LONG way to adding some needed zing to a meal.
4. Feta cheese, beautiful goats. For some lactose intolerant people (not all, sorry to say), goat's milk can be digested. I am one of those people. Feta cheese is one of my serious indulgences. Go to Trader Joes, and get that feta log thing with spices on the outside. Really. Even if you are lactose tolerant, it's amazing. Spread it on a cracker and enjoy life.
5. Soy cheese. This is one that some people will never learn to accept. I understand why. Soy cheese tastes different than regular cheese. You have to think of it as a different animal. Try a bunch of different kinds, heat them up, see what they're like when they melt. I make a soy cheese pizza that is actually really good.
6. Really really fatty milk has very little lactose! Whipping cream, real ice cream (the serious fatty bad for you kind..mmmm) you will probably be able to eat more of.
After a while, you may find that you no longer crave extremely lactose ridden foods. Cream sauce is overly decadent and rich for me now. Date someone who likes lactose, have a bite of their food at a meal, enjoy it and take stock of the fact that your body has now forced you to be healthier. Not to say that I don't occasionally eat ice cream and get sick, but I have learned to live without the lactose enzyme and it makes me enjoy the mango lassies and feta logs all the more.
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