Pasta Carbonara with Spinach and Peas

After spending a few days in Austin last fall, Lisa and I discovered a ridiculous and hilarious way to pass the time before catching our flights back to Seattle (for Lisa) and Los Angeles (for me). It was the combination of being delirious, hungry, tired, and really excited about discovering kombucha in the airport that led us to a game of personifying ourselves as foods. To be honest, I can’t even remember what foods we decided suited us best, but it did involve a pretty hysterical process of elimination.

I do know, though, that whenever I eat pasta, I think of Lisa; it’s one of her favorite foods. It was her birthday last Saturday and although I wasn’t with her to celebrate, she’s was in my thoughts all day.

I thought of this meal since we made it together during her first visit to my Californian home. 

I was never really a pasta person until I started adding different veggies to the mix. This pasta carbonara is comforting, but also incorporate the brightness of some of my favorite springtime veggies. Since today is the first day of spring, this recipe is a nice one to transition into the new season. 

To keep the birthday celebration going and to celebrate the welcome of spring, you can whip up this recipe in no more than thirty minutes.

We hope you enjoy it, preferably in the company of someone who makes you laugh!

Pasta Carbonara with Spinach and Peas

This pasta dish can be made in an easy 30 minutes (or less) for a simple, yet elegant dinner at home. You can toss in extra veggies if you like and even add some grilled chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients:

½ pound whole wheat pasta noodles, such as spaghetti

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup frozen peas

3 heaping cups fresh spinach

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1.     Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package.

2.     Beat the egg yolks and add 1/2 cup of the starchy water you’re using to cook the pasta. 

3.     Meanwhile, in a large skillet or pot, sauté the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and peas over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

4.     When the pasta is finished cooking, add the pasta to the skillet or pot. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss quickly to coat the pasta (without cooking the eggs!)

5.     Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and fresh spinach until the spinach wilts. 

6.   Portion out into individual bowls and season with black pepper and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Veggie Heavy Sweet Potato Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

We got this really great pot for Christmas – not last Christmas, but the one before that – and ever since then, I've been wanting to make a Shepherd’s Pie. Trust me when I say that this pot is just begging to cook a Shepherd's Pie. 

I’m embarrassed to say that it’s taken me this long.

Since we decided not to do anything too elaborate for Valentine’s Day this year, I decided I wanted to (yes, finally) make a Shepherd’s Pie. 

Since this dinner was over a year in the making, I knew I had to make it good.

I decided to use lamb, a protein that feels special enough for celebratory dinners like this one, but also holds up so well in comforting, hearty dishes. And because a 3 ounce serving of lamb provides nearly five times the amount of the omega-3 fatty acid, ALA compared to the same serving of beef, incorporating lamb in our Valentine’s Day dinner, or such a heart-focused meal, felt appropriate. 

I added a carrots, celery, and peas, and then topped the lamb stew with one of my favorite vegetables, sweet potatoes. The result made me wonder why I didn’t make this sooner.

Veggie Heavy Sweet Potato Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

Packed with tons of veggies and made with lamb, this easy stew is special enough to make for a celebratory dinner, yet is comforting enough to make any night of the week.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 pound ground lamb

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ cup low sodium vegetable broth

1 cup frozen peas

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Fill a large pot with water and add the sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3.     Meanwhile, in a oven-safe pot, such as a Dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil until softened.

4.     Add lamb, breaking apart until cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.

5.     Add tomato paste, oregano, thyme, and flour. Stir until mixture thickens, about 1 minute.

6.     Add broth and peas. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

7.     Drain the water from the sweet potatoes, and mashed the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Stir in two tablespoons of butter.

8.     Top the lamb, vegetable mixture with sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes, and then broil at the end of baking time for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: While Lisa and I are consulting dietitians with the Tri-Lamb Group, we are sharing this recipe simply because we want to!