Quick and Easy Dinner Recipe

It’s hot, hot hot outside and the family schedule is busy, busy, busy – so the question is ‘what to make for dinner that is quick, healthy and delicious?’

Working with a combination of what is in season and what is in the pantry/refrigerator coupled with inspiration from www.MyRecipes.com.  Dinner tonight (with leftovers for lunch tomorrow) is…

Pasta with Zucchini and Goat Cheese

Makes 4 servings

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time:  40 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (3/4 of the box) linguine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced into thin half-moons
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1  clove garlic, chopped
• 5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the zucchini is tender and any liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese to the pasta. Add the reserved pasta water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until creamy. Serve the pasta topped with the zucchini, lemon zest, and the remaining cheese.

Tips

• Checkout the Ideal Bite, a sassier shade of green, for their eco, modified carbon footprint tips on making pasta:
• Mix pasta and sauce together before serving so all the strands are evenly coated and the flavors marry.
• Serve with a green salad and fresh fruit for dessert.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories 455; Calories From Fat 24%; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 68g; Sugar 6g; Fiber 4g; Fat 12g; Sat Fat 6g; Sodium 746mg; Cholesterol 16mg

Source, inspiration and photo: Real Simple, June 2008