Easy Peasy Ginger Garlic Pasta

I thought you would enjoy this super easy yet incredibly tasty pasta dish that we had when my boys were visiting. My son, Andrew added his twist to an old recipe I used to make many moons ago. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did. The cool thing is that this dish takes less than 20 minutes to prepare.

Easy Peasy Ginger Garlic Pasta

Ingredients

Handful parsley finely chopped

A generous glug of olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic minced

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes – can add more to taste

1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

500g wholewheat spaghetti or pasta of choice

1-2 cups broccoli cut into small florets

2 cups pasta cooking wáter

Dash of red wine (for the exotic in us!)

Sea salt

Lemon for garnish

1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Break the pasta in half and cook in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente.

pasta cooking water

Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.

Place the oil, garlic, chilli and ginger into a pan that's large enough to hold the pasta later. Lightly saute over a low heat for a minute and then add enough of the pasta cooking wáter to cover the bottom of the pan. Simmer for a few minutes.

Add a dash of red wine if you want a richer flavor and simmer for another minute or so.

    

Add the parsley and broccoli and mix gently. Season with sea salt.

Add the pasta to the fragrant mixture.

Make sure there is enough of the pasta cooking liquid to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes on a high flame.

Remove lid and mix gently.

Serve garnished with fresh lemon and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy Love Chef Mel xx

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Now the weather is beginning to warm up, it is fun to make some light and lively dishes. This simple pasta salad can be cooked up in a jiffy. The tangy flavors make it perfect for a yummy supper after a good dig in the garden. Enjoy! Love Chef Mel x

Mediterranean Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

1 packet spiral noodles cooked

1 onion diced

1 cup cucumber washed and finely diced

1 block firm tofu diced

1/2 cup minced basil

Umeboshi vinegar

1 cup black olives cut in half

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:

Place the cucumber and tofu in a bowl and add about 2 tablespoons of umeboshi vinegar. Mix well and let marinate.

Place the onions, salt and oil in a skillet.

Sauté on a high flame for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Re-rinse the noodles and place them in a

serving bowl.

Add the tofu, cucumber, olives, and onions and mix together.

Season with umeboshi vinegar and mix through.

Let sit for about 5 minutes. Add more umeboshi vinegar if needed for a stronger taste.

Add the basil, toss through noodles and serve.

By the way you can find umeboshi vinegar at most natural food stores.