It feels like it's been raining for a week. It's actually only been a couple of days, but I was starting to feel sun deprived. These are the times that I want, nay need comfort food. Sometimes it's chicken soup, or mac n' cheese, or grilled cheese and tomato soup. This time it was an Italian staple, sausage with white beans and broccoli rabe over pasta. Not sure whether The Man likes this or not, I did waffle for a moment before shopping for the ingredients, then decided that he's pretty open to just about everything so he will have to deal with my cravings. Sausage browned then sliced in to rounds, lots of chopped garlic added to the pan to saute in the fat left from the sausage (there wasn't much but, damn, it is tasty), then deglazed with a dry Italian white table wine. Broccoli rabe tossed in to the pot for the last couple of minutes of cooking time for the pasta to gently blanch, then pulled out and added to the sausage. A can of cannellini, rinsed but not drained, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and it's ready. Drain the pasta, toss it around and serve. Done in the time it took to boil water and cook pasta. Now, a little about the pasta. I decided to try something new, a sprouted grain pasta made by Food For Life, the same people that make the Ezekiel bread. I had been wanting to try it, but don't eat much pasta, so I figured now was as good a time as any.
I wanted to like it. I wanted to love it. I wanted it to take over where whole wheat pasta left off. Well, it does and it doesn't. The flavor is great - wheaty, hearty, full flavored - but it went from al dente to ass in 10 seconds. I drained it just before al dente since I knew I'd be adding it to the pan to coat it with the sauce. In the three minutes that it was in the pan, which was off the heat when I added it, it went from toothsome to the same texture as the beans. Very disappointing. However, the rest of the dish was amazing, so I was able to overlook the pasta as soon as I saw The Man's eyes roll back in his head with the first bite. Not surprising, he adored it, and said I could make it again anytime. Yay!
I'm a chef, mom of two grown amazing people, a culinary instructor, and now a holistic nutrition and wellness counselor. I will be adding homeopathy to that list of accomplishments soon, and this is a record of my journey towards that and many other goals, along with the stuff that turns me on and off. Like my Facebook page for even more amazing ideas and recipes. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Healthy-People-Culinary-Program/214831771901699?ref=hl