I love how lazy from scratch dinners can be this time of the year. That's right, you read the words lazy and from scratch dinners paired together in the same sentence. Why? Because whether you have a garden, a CSA Box, a farmers' market, or even just a grocery store, finding inexpensive, fresh, nutritious greens and green things is easy. Add some pantry staples and hot cooked noodles of your choice and you've got this on the table:
Let me stress that the recipe below is a guide. Haven't got pea greens? Use spinach? Not a fan of spinach? Toss in basil. Running a little low on basil? Use what you have and add in parsley … or cilantro … or both … or something else. You get the idea. Now, I've had nights where I've added lightly-sautéed zucchini, as pictured above. I've also added pea pods, garlic scapes, green onions, chopped peppers, and other veggies. And then there have been nights in which I've not added any of those things. Guess what … it's good. And easy. And so appreciated in the middle of a busy week.
This recipe also calls for cooked noodles. They can be short pasta noodles, they can be long pasta noodles. The ones pictured above are actually rice noodles and they were amazing. You can serve this dish hot, warm, or cold. You can even sprinkle extra stuff, like cheese or sesame seeds or chopped nuts or cooked chicken, on top if you want. Or don't. Guess what … it's good.
You can serve this alongside fruit salad or garlic toast or any number of side dishes. Or don't. Because … guess what … it's good!
Easy Green Noodles
- One handful of pea vines or other leafy green
- 2-3 green onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-4 T. Parmesan cheese
- 1/4-1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cooked noodles of your choice
Combine the first 4 ingredients (greens through Parmesan cheese) in a food processor and process, carefully drizzling enough olive oil into the mixture to form a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired and process lightly to combine.
Toss the sauce with the noodles of your choice and either serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be served hot, warm, or cold. Top as desired or not at all.
- Yields: 2-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes