Broccoli Garlic Pasta with Fresh Basil & Tomatoes

I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out so great, I had to write it down so we can do it again. Normally, I chase my pasta around the bowl, trying to make sure there’s a noodle in every bite. This dish had me chasing the broccoli instead!

INGREDIENTS:

• salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 large head broccoli, Cut into florets, and stems diced
• 1 large clove elephant garlic
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• lots basil, fresh or dried
• 1 medium tomato
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, or more if you like it. I probably used half a cup or more.
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 servings whole wheat rotini

METHOD:

1. Noodles: Put on water to boil for noodles, and put a large saute pan on the burner to bring it up to medium heat. You’ll let your noodles cook while you prep everything else. That way the noodles and the veggies should be done at the same time. Magic!
2. Onion: Dice half an onion and throw it in the pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Let it saute while you chop the broccoli, stiring it once or twice so it cooks evenly. If the water is boiling, you can add the noodles now.
3. Broccoli: Chop the broccoli into tidy florets, then take the stems and trim them of any tough bits before dicing them finely. When the onions are soft, add all the broccoli to the pan.
4. Garlic: Peel and finely chop one or more cloves of elephant garlic. toss it in the pan & stir.
5. Seasoning: Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, lots of basil (fresh or dried), red pepper flakes, salt, and half a cup of water.
6. Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional Yeast is an inactive yeast that’s grown on blackstrap molasses and then pasteurized so it stops growing, so its not the same yeast you make bread with. It won’t grow in your stomach, but it is full of b-vitamins and whatnot. It disolves and adds a distinct pungent flavour and pleasant orangey colour reminiscent of certain cheeses.
7. Tomato: dice one and add it to the pan, and give everything a good stir.
8. When the noodles are done, drain, add them to the veggies, and toss. Serve.

SERVINGS: 2

SOURCE: Codejill