SUMMER PASTAWITH LEMON-THYME MUSHROOMS AND ARUGULA AND AN UPDATE
its been exactly 6 months since my last blog post. A part of me wants to have this dramatic reaction and make it mean something that i stopped blogging on a regular basis. like i slacked off, got lazy.
The other part of me wants to be compassionate, understanding and realize that sometimes life happens. you quit your job, move states, go through a tough breakup, and open a cafe. sometimes that's what gets in the way of wordpress. i realize now how much blogging was a creative outlet for me when i used to spend my weekdays making the lives of attorneys easier. its no surprise that on my time off i cooked, photographed and blogged. now that i do what i love for work i don't necessairly need an outlet hence the blog falling to the wayside. i get to create recipes and cook all day for work. hello dream. sometimes i get a rush of nostalgia for my previous life but can shake it rather quickly when i realize that having a fancy sounding job and making a lot of money is the boobie prize..., i wasn't fullfilled.
my life is about sharing healthy, sustainable, delicious food with my community. its about creativity, love and self expression. i do miss la, though. i don't feel nearly at home in phx. i feel as though i have been sent on location for a film shoot and once the project is complete ill be back in the city. at least thats the plan. i can't stay away for too long so i make short trips back as often as possible and this last one something pretty magical happened.
over the fourth of july weekend i went to visit la and my beloved macman cooked for me for the very first time (insert unicorn emoji) he adopted a plant based diet shortly after we became smitten and has kept it going strong even after my departure and our breakup. not having much natural affinty for the kitchen he started ordering from purple carrot, a vegan meal kit delivery service similar to that of blue apron, and made this recipe for us. it was really simple, beautiful and delicious so i decided to remake a similar version for the marketplace deli at the cafe this week..., mostly because i wanted to eat more of it :) i highly reccomend it if you are looking for a quick weeknight meal that will yield left overs for days to come. add garbanzo beans or baked tofu for some protien if you please. its also worth noting how well this keeps in fridge, up to 5 days.
Ingredients
1 Pound mushrooms, i used crimini and white
fresh thyme, chopped
lemon, zest and juice
garlic cloves
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Pound pasta of your choice
5 Ounces arugula
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Cup toasted walnuts
3/4 Cups garbanzo beans
3/4 Cups baked tofu, cubed
Instructions
bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and add salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente.
meanwhile, wash and dry the mushrooms. slice as thin as possible and put in a large bowl. rinse the thyme and strip enough off to measure 1-2 tsp, rouhg chop and add to the bowl. rinse the lemon, zest it with a microplane and add to the bowl then juice it and add to the bowl. next, grate the garlic and add to the bowl. add the oil, salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat, let sit so the mushrooms can marainate.
wash and dry the arugula. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the bowl with the mushrooms and toss wall. Add the arugula and mix again. Serve with toasted walnuts, garbanzo beans or tofu, if desired.
recipe adapted from the purple carrot.