Basil Balsamic Pasta

A few days ago, I tried this recipe from the website "Meatless Monday". To give you a little background, I've been working on changing my lifestyle: eating healthier and exercising more. Neither of these things come naturally to me. Same goes for my husband, but a bit more so. The idea of having a meal where meat, fish, or seafood isn't a central feature is totally against his religion. But I decided that during this Lenten season, I would have "vegetarian Fridays". No meat. No fish. No seafood.


The question then becomes, is it possible to do this without winding up with no husband as well? And so I thought this recipe might be worth a try. I'll share it first "as is", directly from the website, and then add a few comments and suggestions that we found helpful based on our tastes. I think the recipe lends itself to some interpretation.

Basil Balsamic Pasta
 Corkscrew pasta is tossed together with spinach, reduced balsamic, and a healthy dose of fresh herbs. This recipe comes to us from Julieanna Hever, The Plant Based Dietician.

Serves 4

1 12-ounce package pasta, uncooked
1 1/2 cups fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
A pinch salt
A few grindings black pepper
1/2 cup reduced balsamic vinegar *
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

* Balsamic vinegar is sold pre-reduced in some grocery stores next in the oil and vinegar section, but is easy to make at home. Simply 1 cup balsamic vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When vinegar boils reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2-4 minutes, or until the mixture has been reduced by half.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the dried pasta and begin cooking according to package directions.

Place basil, rosemary, reduced balsamic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

When pasta is 1-2 minutes from being cooked add the spinach to the boiling water. Stir until just combined. Strain the pasta and spinach when the pasta is cooked to preference.

Pour the pasta and spinach into the bowl with the herb balsamic mixture. Stir until well combined and enjoy!

Now for a few comments...

First of all, for two of us, this was W-A-Y too much as it doesn't rewarm as well as I'd hope. So I'd suggest using a bit of math to ensure the number of servings comes closer to the number of people to be served.

I think there are a number of herbs that would be good in this. Next time, I may begin to experiment a bit. I think I'll also try to time the pasta and the balsamic reduction to finish at about the same time so the dish will remain hot longer. Also, next time I will add more spinach, because we love it. And maybe some sundried tomatoes? So many creative ways to vary this recipe, don't you think?

In addition, my husband sprinkled some mozzarella cheese on top of his serving, which he enjoyed.

I hope you'll enjoy it, too!