Shock. Sorrow. Stress. These are just a few emotions I, like so many others, have been feeling lately. When I’m down, I try to focus on simple activities that bring me joy. These days, it’s:
- Searching for a mother duck and her five ducklings on morning and afternoon walks around the neighborhood (I think they found a home in a park near my local Whole Foods.)
- Discovering culinary delights, like Steep Creamery & Tea’s mango sorbet with creamy coconut ice cream
- And, of course, spending time in the kitchen under Rookie’s watchful eyes
To illustrate the last point, I decided to make use of some fresh produce from County Line Harvest and Cal-Organic Farms over the weekend. The result? This simple yet satisfying marinated vegetable pasta salad. It’s packed with flavor (thanks to a generous amount of garlic and dried herbs in the dressing) and keeps well in the fridge.
As the temperature rises and your tastes turn to lighter fare, consider preparing marinated vegetable pasta salad. You can enjoy the mélange for lunch or pair it with your favorite source of protein for dinner.
Recipe adapted from RecipeTin Eats.
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 2 yellow zucchini, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½"-thick pieces
- 1 green zucchini, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½"-thick pieces
- 1 Italian eggplant, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into ½"-thick wedges
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved
- 12 ounces casarecce or other short pasta
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Preheat oven to 480 degrees. Divide zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, onion and garlic between two large baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir gently. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are caramelized and fork tender. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts and half of the dressing and toss to combine. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to bowl with marinated vegetables. Add remaining dressing and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, at room temperature or cold.
