What's for Dinner: Mediterranean Pasta with Sauteed Asparagus

Also local to Walla Walla is some killer asparagus. The field around my childhood home was actually an asparagus field, so I grew up walking outside to the sometimes-putrid smell of the vegetable. It took me a few years, but I finally grew to like the little green stalks.

This is my favorite way to eat asparagus -- lemony and fresh atop a bed of delicious pasta.

Mediterranean Pasta with Sauteed Asparagus

Soy-free, vegan

Ingredients

1 lb. pasta of your choice (I used tomato-carrot penne)
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
1 C sliced white mushrooms
2 C frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 C sundried tomatoes 
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbs. white wine

Step-by-Step

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta is cooking, in a medium skillet, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. When the olive oil is slick, add three cloves garlic. Sauté until garlic becomes slightly golden on the edges. Add asparagus to skillet, stirring once, then allowing it to cook without stirring.

In a separate large stock pot or wok, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high. When the oil becomes slick, add two cloves garlic. Sauté until garlic becomes slightly golden on the edges. Add white mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and sundried tomatoes. Sauté.

By this point, the asparagus skillet will have begun to get a golden-brown residue on the bottom of the pan. Juice half the lemon into the skillet, using the acidity to scrape the residue from the pan. Stir again, then allow to continue to cook.

Similarly, when the skillet begins to develop a residue, add the white wine to that pot, using the acidity to scrape the residue from the pot.

When the pasta finishes cooking, drain it then add it to the mushroom and artichoke heart mixture. Turn the heat on that pot down to medium. Continue to stir, heating through.

When the asparagus pan again begins to develop a residue, deglaze the pan again by juicing the other half of the lemon and repeating the scraping process. Once done, immediately empty the asparagus into the pot with the pasta and mushrooms.

Note: I kept the asparagus separate from the pasta in the picture, but I actually prefer combining the two. I ended up combining them on my plate after taking the photo. The citrus flavor of the asparagus is a little too strong without the pasta, but brings a wonderful flavor to the pasta.

What's for Dinner: Gluten-Free Tri-Color Summer Pasta Salad with Green Beans, Chickpeas, and Grape Tomatoes

I'm all moved back to my mom's house for the summer before making the move to North Carolina. My mom has a little cottage in the country outside of Walla Walla, Wash. What that means for me is great local produce and great wine. Mmmmmmm.

I hit up the farmer's market this last weekend and found myself some gorgeous green beans. I wanted to incorporate them into a salad that tasted distinctly summer.

Gluten-Free Tri-Color Summer Pasta Salad

Soy-free, gluten-free, vegan

Ingredients

1 lb. gluten-free pasta, cooked according to package instructions and cooled
2 C grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 C cooked garbanzo beans
1 C fresh green beans, cleaned and lightly blanched
3/4 C vegan mayonnaise
1 Tbs creamy dijon mustard (not whole grain)
4 tsp. garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste 

Step-by-Step

Combine gluten-free pasta, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and lightly blanched green beans in a large bowl by tossing them with salad tossers. Be very gentle, as gluten-free pasta can often be less hearty than regular pasta.

Add mayonnaise, dijon mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper to the mixture. Again toss with salad tossers until fully combined.

Review: The Garden Cafe (Walla Walla, Wash.)

I grew up in Walla Walla, a sweet little town perfect for the vegetarian. The huge population of vegetarian and vegan Seventh Day Adventists in the area makes it economically viable (even economically wise) for restaurants to cater to the veg-minded. There's even a mostly-vegetarian grocery store* in College Place (the town next door that might as well be part of Walla Walla).

The Valley, known for its luscious wines and juicy sweet onions, has been home for a few vegan restaurants over the years. They've all come and gone. Let me say this: I hope The Garden Cafe is here (or there, rather) to stay. I made a quick stop on a recent visit to town, and I was delighted with what I got.

After about 10 minutes of deliberation and hassling the clerk for her opinion, I chose a scrumptious meal of aloo curry over brown rice. This tasty rice bowl was topped with the freshest veggies one could hope for: spinach, cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro.

The curry itself makes you feel healthy as you eat it. No kidding. Complete with peas, chickpeas, potatoes, and a slightly spicy sauce, this dish was both filling and refreshing.

I had my whole (mostly omnivorous) family with me, and everyone loved their food. My dad got the house-made veggie burger (pictured below), which looked mouth-wateringly good. (I would have tried it, but my dad had them slather on the peanut butter. He loves peanut butter. So do I. He loves it on burgers. That's where we differ.) The hubs had a vegan Reuben made with Tofurky (I couldn't try because soy makes my tummy mad). 

My mom and sister both had The Garden's fiesta quesadilla made with Daiya cheese. I did try that baby, and oh my heck was it good. The cheese was perfectly smooth and creamy. That coupled with the crisp freshness of the tomatoes and olives made for a party in my mouth.

The absolute best part of the meal, though? The juice. We're talking fresh-squeezed deliciousness. I spent about $9 on my 16 oz. juice, more than my food cost. And it was worth every single penny. I started with their apple juice base and had them add some kale, ginger, and lemon.

The waitress set my green juice concoction down in front of me, and my family all looked at me like I was crazy. But I drank that thing. Boy, did I drink it. And it was good (as green things usually are, once you try!).

The Garden's atmosphere was bright and cheery, but with a distinct laid-back feel. It's the type of place I would go to study if I still lived in Walla Walla. I was a little disappointed that at the end of my visit I couldn't find a recycling bin for my sister's soda can, but maybe I didn't look hard enough.

Pros:

Perfectly flavorful juice

Great use of fresh ingredients

Amazing flavor
Fair food prices
Cheery atmosphere

Cons:
Expensive juice (but worth it)
No recycling bin to be found (in a vegan cafe? C'mon people!)

*I need to tell you more about Andy's Market. This place is veg food mecca. Especially right now, during their Store-Wide Vege Sale (through March 31). Check them out. Now.