Garden Penne

I have nothing much to report today, but I have one thing to say before I get onto my Garden Penne recipe: what is it with everyone being obsessed with vegan's partners? I have fielded more questions about Mahri's diet than I have my own. Is he going vegan because I have? No. That's a big no. I can't make that choice for him. And seeing as how he's already a picky eater as omnivore, I'm not even thinking about it. Would it certainly make shopping easier? Duh. Are we going to have separate cookware? Nope. I'm not worried about cross contamination, and I won't feel like less of a vegan because we cook on the same skillets.

Do I think this will place a burden on our relationship? Quite the opposite, not only he is my biggest supporter, but he's been learning recipes on his own because he enjoys cooking for me. He's amazing, what can I say? While I don't relish the thought of cleaning chicken wings (hated it before tbh) I also support my fiancé so I will obviously be helping him cook as well. Honestly, our favorite thing to do together is cook. We love going grocery shopping together and spending time learning new recipes in the kitchen. We're sickening I know, but I've always been attracted to a man that knows his way around the kitchen. I don't know what to tell y'all honestly. We've been through so much in 3 years and it's only made us stronger as a couple. We've had plenty of down falls and each time we get back on our feet and dust ourselves off. Why would a lifestyle choice, one that I've personally made to end the suffering of others be anything but admired by him?

I'll leave you with that question and get onto the recipe for my delightfully easy Garden Penne.

Garden Penne w/ Nutritional Yeast, Asparagus & Roast Broccoli

Garden Penne is literally whatever you want it to be. What veggies do you have on hand that you need to get rid of? What was fresh at the farmer's market today? That's the idea behind my Garden Penne. I like to load my sauce up with as many fresh veggies as I can. This week I cleaned the fridge out to make this and it was wonderful! I used sautéed mushrooms, tomato, yellow onion, red onion, garlic, broccoli, and mini bell peppers for my Garden Penne, topped it off with some Nooch (Nutritional Yeast) and dug in!

What you'll need:

half a crown of broccoli, chopped, stalks included

8 oz sliced mushrooms, any variety

1/2 cup yellow onion

1/2 cup red onion

6 cloves of garlic minced (as always, there's no such thing as too much garlic)

1 diced tomato

4 mini bell peppers (or 1 regular sized)

29 oz can of tomato sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Tuscan Blend seasoning

1 box of penne

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (untouched by any man is how I prefer my olive oil) 

Start off by sautéing your vegetables in the olive oil, I tend to start off with the broccoli so the stalks can get tender, then I add in the bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomato and mushroom. Once your veggies are cooked through, bring your pot to a simmer and add in the can of tomato sauce with your seasonings. Let this simmer as long as you like, my daddy always told me the longer and slower you simmer something the better it will be. This advice is definitely taken to heart when making a pasta sauce. I find the best results in the kitchen come with patience. When you're ready to eat cook your pasta however you like, and toss in the sauce. Top with Nooch and enjoy your delicious pasta and the newfound space in your fridge. For more protein, lentils always make a good add in.