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Two Peas and Their Pod: Whole Wheat Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Roasted Asparagus

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Whole Wheat Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Roasted Asparagus



Utah is still cold with snow on the ground. Sure, it is pretty, but come on, it is March. I am sooo ready for Spring! We have had a couple of nice "teaser" days, but the snow always comes back to haunt me. I just want Mr. Sun to stick around!

Since the weather isn't cooperating, I turned to the kitchen for some help. I made my favorite spring time dish, Whole Wheat Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Roasted Asparagus. The flavors are light and fresh and make me think of sunny days.

I used whole wheat spaghetti, but any pasta will do. The sauce is really easy. I saute garlic, onions, red pepper flakes, and fresh spinach in olive oil and toss them with the warm pasta. To finish off the dish, I add lemon zest and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and mix. I love the refreshing and powerful flavor the lemon gives.

I served roasted asparagus on the side, I found it on sale for 88 cents a pound, yahoo! I didn't do anything fancy, just a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice. I finished everything off with a bit of Parmesan cheese. This was the perfect meal to chase away the winter blues.





Whole Wheat Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Roasted Asparagus

(Printable Recipe)


Whole wheat pasta (any variety will work)
Olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped
Red pepper flakes, just a quick shake
Salt and Pepper
Zest and juice of one large lemon
Parmesan cheese

1.Bring a big pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook pasta until al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.
3. Add spinach and cook until it has cooked down. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain the pasta and pour it into a large serving bowl.
5. Toss the pasta with the spinach mixture.
6. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well.
7. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese.

For the Asparagus:
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim the ends of the asparagus and place on a large baking sheet, lined with foil.
3. Drizzle asparagus lightly with olive oil.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Roast for 10-15 minutes in the oven. Stir them at least once.
6. Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the spears.
7. Serve with pasta dish above.

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58 Comments:

Blogger LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Oh my, such a DELECTABLE pasta dish!!

Hang in there with all the snow!!

5:03 AM  
Blogger Erica said...

Fabulous! Love the addition of great veggies (spinach AND asparagus). Hopefully it will warm up near you two soon. Have a good one

5:04 AM  
Blogger The Purple Carrot said...

This sounds like a DELICIOUS combination! : )

We've been teased a couple days in Missouri, too but it's back to being in the 20s again ... let's hope for some better weather soon!!

5:14 AM  
Blogger Balance, Joy and Delicias! said...

love roasted asparagus!
great pasta dish, looks delicious!

5:15 AM  
Blogger Kristen616 said...

I hear you re. the cold and snow. It's the same where I live too. This dish looks so yummy and fresh...I bet the asparagus pairs so nicely with the lemon pasta!

5:28 AM  
Blogger Jan said...

You've sold it to me! It was easy. The picture and the lemon with the pepper flakes!
Dee-lish!

5:52 AM  
Blogger A_and_N said...

Gimme anything with citrus flavours and you got me there!

5:55 AM  
Blogger Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A spring meal... Flavorful, refined and delicious!

Cheers,

Rosa

6:14 AM  
Blogger Meg said...

What a perfect combination! I hope it warms up soon!

6:23 AM  
Blogger Netts Nook said...

This looks and sounds great and looks so easy must try. Thanks for sharing Maria.

6:24 AM  
Blogger stephchows said...

Your asparagus looks perfect! I wish the price was that good around here! It's still $3 a lb! Boooo. Once it comes down I'm totally making this :)

6:32 AM  
Blogger Maria said...

Thanks everyone! I hope it warms up soon!

Stephchows-I hope you can find a deal on asparagus, it usually is on sale during the Spring months!

6:36 AM  
Blogger kat said...

Looks like Spring on a plate

6:37 AM  
Blogger RecipeGirl said...

My kinda meal, for sure. Love simple lemon & garlic and what it does to pasta. Add a splash of white wine and it's even better! Yum!!

6:44 AM  
Blogger Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

Love asparagus and whole wheat pasta even better.

6:51 AM  
Blogger Maria said...

RecipeGirl-I will have to try the wine next time around, thanks for the tip!

7:01 AM  
Blogger Michele said...

That's a Whole Wheat pasta that even I would love! Looks great!!!

7:01 AM  
Blogger Liz said...

I *love* lemon pasta!!!

7:02 AM  
Blogger Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Looks like the perfect meal to warm you up so you can forget about all the snow.

7:11 AM  
Blogger NKP said...

Looks like an awesome meal! We had roasted asparagus for dinner last night too, so yummy.

7:18 AM  
Blogger Pam said...

What a healthy and delicious meal - YUM!

7:24 AM  
Blogger vanillasugarblog said...

I am sooo ready for warmer weather. When I say warmer I mean anything above 30 is good with me.
I would love this tasty dish.

7:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a fabulous spring dish!

8:08 AM  
Blogger Dewi said...

This is such a perfect meal during the week, very light, yet satisfying. And the best part is that doesn't seem too difficult to make it.
Cheers,
elra

8:37 AM  
Blogger Culinary Wannabe said...

Sounds so good! I make a similar pasta, and add in shrimp as well. I'm with you - lets put an SOS out for Mr. Sun.

8:55 AM  
Blogger Aggie said...

Oh what a perfect pasta dish. The flavors sound amazing...yum!!!

I'm so sorry you are still dealing with that darn snow!! Is that normal for this time of year? Spring is coming, I promise!!

9:17 AM  
Blogger Debbie said...

Does that ever look good. I love pasta dishes and yours looks delicious...

10:11 AM  
Blogger Mary Bergfeld said...

What a lovely harbinger of spring. It's probable been 20 years since I've seen asparagus at that price. I'll wager you really enjoyed it. This looks delicious.

10:18 AM  
Blogger Reeni said...

So simple but so delicious! Hope Spring finds you soon!

11:04 AM  
Blogger Mary Ann said...

This looks perfect for a yummy dinner. I am so with you on the spring thing. If it snows one more time I think I am going to throw up! I am so ready for some sun. Great pictures, Maria!

11:20 AM  
Blogger Cristine said...

Looks amazingly delicious! I am so ready for spring, too!!!

11:23 AM  
Blogger teresa said...

Oh, bring on the spring, this looks like something I would order at a restaurant!

11:51 AM  
Blogger sugarlens said...

What a good looking pasta!

I love me some pasta to chase the winter blues away.

11:59 AM  
Blogger Donna-FFW said...

This sounds absolutely so delicious! I love all the flavors going on in this dish! WINNER!!

12:02 PM  
Blogger The Blonde Duck said...

Between you and Reeni, I'm dying for pasta tonight! And what's better than homemade wheat pasta? Nothing!

12:47 PM  
Blogger The Fat Dietitian said...

I love asparagus... despite the extra aromatic urine! :)

2:10 PM  
Blogger Live.Love.Eat said...

I'd love to have that right now but I don't feel like going to the store since I am coming down with something. Oh well. But I am having a big hankering for some whole wheat pasta in a light sauce and with some shrimp too :)

2:46 PM  
Blogger Heather said...

yum! i love asparagus, and the lemon/spinach combo sounds delicious, too!

3:05 PM  
Blogger Jersey Girl Cooks said...

I made pasta with asparagus the other night. Love it!

3:11 PM  
Blogger Peter M said...

This is a health-conscientious dish...I guess you're making up for all those yummy treats you posted!

3:12 PM  
Blogger Angie said...

Oh...this looks so yummy!

4:10 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

YUM!!! We love whole wheat pasta and asparagus!

4:27 PM  
Blogger MaryBeth said...

This looks wonderful, I actually think by seeing everyone's blogs using various veggies may just turn me into a liker of them.

5:12 PM  
Blogger Cathy said...

Wow, this looks perfect! It gets me in the mood for spring, that's for sure! I am going to do a sun dance for you.

5:42 PM  
Blogger Leslie said...

Snow still?? Wow, I would be fed up too!
Looks yummy!

6:01 PM  
Blogger Joie de vivre said...

I can't wait for spring and ASPARAGUS!!!

7:30 PM  
Blogger Katrina said...

My kind of meal!

7:59 PM  
Blogger Cookie baker Lynn said...

Asparagus certainly says spring to me. My mother says the last snow of winter falls on the tulips, so look for those tulip blossoms!

8:44 PM  
Blogger Jan said...

I too thought spring was here. My daffodils are out, my tulips are well on the way, now it's freezing again.

This sounds like the perfect dish to greet the spring.

9:12 PM  
Blogger Elyse said...

I love winter-blues-be-gone meals! This one seems perfect with that lemon flavor and asparagus side. Mmm, I hope your dish brings warm weather with it!

10:53 PM  
Blogger grace said...

look at all that green! healthiest pasta dish ever. :)

2:53 AM  
Blogger Emily said...

Oooh, this dish looks so green and vibrant, it definitely makes me long for spring.
We had a couple teaser days last week, but it's cold again. :(

3:10 AM  
Blogger ♥Rosie♥ said...

Such a fabulous and delicious pasta dish!!

Rosie x

7:59 AM  
Blogger Deborah said...

Yummy! I just bought some asparagus because I was craving roasted asparagus!

9:28 AM  
Blogger Emily June said...

This looks simply delicious!! I LOVE Asparagus. :)

1:28 PM  
Blogger Deb in Hawaii said...

I love whole wheat pasta and lemon and this looks so healthy and good.

3:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dente.. is the best, I have a question, since pasta uses 100% duran wheat pasta, is there a large difference between that and whole wheat.. I know there is but just curious = ) Thanks darling..

7:32 PM  
Blogger Aggie said...

Made this pasta tonight and OMG sooooo good!!!

5:51 PM  

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