Things are growing, guys! I know it’s no surprise that Spring comes every year, but it always feels like a gift when the weather warms up enough that we can start growing food again.
We’re harvesting spinach right now (from seeds that we sowed in a cold frame back in the Fall), and it feels so great to be eating hyper local again. Right around the corner will be radishes, lettuce, green onions, and asparagus, and then, strawberries will be here before you know it. Squee! I love growing season!
Over the next few weeks, you’ll probably see a transition in the content of my blog to focus more and more on seasonal recipes. I try to be as seasonal as possible all year ’round, but it can be so difficult when the ground is frozen and the pantry is bare. Thankfully, from here until October (or even November, if we’re lucky), I’m going to have a constant stream of fresh, organic produce to develop recipes with. Are you excited? I’m excited!
Whenever I am cooking seasonally with right-off-the-vine produce, I try to let the fresh flavors of the veggies really shine through. There is no need to load up a tomato sauce with overwhelming flavors when the tomatoes you are using are top-notch, you know? And that thinking applies to all kinds of produce. This simple spinach fettuccine alfredo recipe is one of my favorites for letting fresh produce shine. It isn’t the traditional heavy cream alfredo—it’s light, airy, and almost delicate. It just barely coats the fettuccine, and is deliciously velvety without being overwhelmingly rich, letting the bright and fresh flavors of the veggies shine through.
It also has the distinct benefit of coming together in a flash. This vegetarian alfredo dish would be perfect for a weeknight dinner—it’s ready in about 20 minutes! An excellent option for a quick and fresh dinner after you’ve spent all day shoveling in the garden.
In this dish, I use fresh spinach and sweet peas, because that’s what is in season right now, but this base alfredo dish will work all season long if you just want to rotate out the veggies. It’ll be great with fresh asparagus in a month or two. Or with roasted zucchini and eggplant in the middle of Summer. Or even with some butternut squash and chard in the Fall. Put this dish in your back pocket and use it all year-long!
Enjoy. Happy Spring!
Pea and Spinach Fettuccine Alfredo
Think alfredo has to take forever? Wrong! This seasonal, vegetarian Pea and Spinach Fettuccine Alfredo comes together in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole wheat fettuccine {recommended: Hodgson Mill}
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
- 1/2 cup skim or lowfat milk
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
- Zest and juice 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. With about three minutes left in pasta cooking time, add in the peas. Once pasta and peas are fully-cooked, drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the garlic, and cook until just tender and fragrant, about three minutes. Add in the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, and cook, continuing to stir, for two minutes.
- Whisk in the half and half and milk. Reduce heat to medium low, and stir constantly until thick. Add in the nutmeg and spinach. Continue cooking just until spinach is wilted, about a minute. Then remove pan from heat.
- Stir in the cheese until melted, and then add in the lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Add in the pasta and peas, and toss until well-coated. Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 666Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 474mgCarbohydrates: 93gFiber: 13gSugar: 16gProtein: 26g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
