Fresh Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes

It may not be the healthiest, but nothing beats fresh pasta. It's hard to ever imagine going back to the dried stuff once you've tasted it - and when you've tasted truly delicious fresh pasta you won't even settle for run-of-the-mill stuff ever again. But perhaps that's for the best... if you're going to engage in some useless, processed carbs you may as well go for the gold and truly, truly enjoy your meal.

In this case, I pair some fresh pasta with fresh farmer's market veggies - the tail end of this summer's tomato crop, crisp-tender baby spinach, and mushrooms direct from Kennett Square - the mushroom capital of the world! They come together in a fresh, simple meal that may even satisfy some picky children (or adults!) out there. After all, it might have a few extras, but it's really just spaghetti with tomato sauce... As extra incentive to eat your veggies, pair it with some fresh garlic bread picked up from your neighborhood bakery - or even frozen at Whole Foods or Wegmans if you don't live tantalizingly close to Philly's Italian Market like I do!

Time: 15 minutes


Fresh Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
8 oz fresh pasta (go to a local shop to get the best stuff!)
2 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
10 oz fresh baby spinach
2 large tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp white cooking wine

Follow the directions to cook the pasta, omitting any salt and/or fat. Make sure to keep a timer handy - fresh pasta usually only cooks for 2-3 minutes and going longer will make it sticky and gummy!

Get a large pan heating over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring nearly constantly. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the spinach and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the spinach is nearly wilted and the mushrooms are cooked. Toss in the tomatoes and wine. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, add the pasta to the veggies, and toss well to coat evenly. Enjoy!