Seeing Green

Recently, I've become a huge fan of frozen vegetables. While I never have a problem finding fruit that I like to eat, vegetables can be more of a challenge for me. They're good for you, but often either so bland so as to require lots of fat to make them tasty, or so strong, like broccoli that no matter how they're served they prove difficult to swallow. Since broccoli is supposedly one of the best foods for humans (anyone want to challenge that?), I decided to start buying frozen broccoli instead of fresh--strangely I find it much more palatable. It's already chopped and cleaned; all that is left to be done in preparing it for eating is to defrost and steam it. And I always like the way frozen broccoli turns out, as opposed to when I cook up the fresh kind. As a result, I've become a frequent visitor to the frozen food aisle in the grocery store, buying broccoli, asparagus, spinach, and other assortments of mixed veggies. I haven't given up on fresh vegetables altogether, but it's always nice to know that I have a perishable that won't rot away in the fridge--and is ready for cooking when I need it.

I've been at it again, throwing the fro-veg into my pasta. Saturday witnessed some spaghetti tossed with scallops and thawed broccoli.

And tonight it was celentani (delightful curly pasta) with frozen spinach and goat cheese.

This one is ridiculously easy to make, and it would be ridiculously absurd not to bother making it, since it's so delicious.

Pasta with spinach and goat cheese
Serves two.
2 cups pasta (celentani, penne, rigatoni)
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tbsp goat cheese
zest of 1 lemon
cayenne, pepper, salt
extra olive oil, if desired

Place garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil and let infuse for 30 minutes or more. Place frozen spinach in bowl and cover in hot water to let defrost (about 5 minutes), then drain. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp salt to water, then add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Add the garlic and oil to a medium skillet over medium heat and let cook for 1-2 minutes without letting garlic burn. Add drained spinach to pan and stir, adding zest and pepper to your liking. Turn heat to low, allow to warm through for 2 minutes. Turn off heat while waiting for pasta to finish. When pasta has cooked and been drained, add to skillet and turn on heat to low. Add goat cheese and stir until it starts to melt, breaking up any large clumps. Once ingredients have been mixed, remove from heat and serve. Bon appetit!