Asparagus and Goat Cheese Orecchiette

Good morning! Wait, it’s afternoon already? Crazy. Well, good afternoon! Hope you’re all doing well It is a rainy, grey day outside today so I’m glad I’m inside!

Thanks for all your comments on Week 4 of the February Grocery Event! It’s funny that people either love or hate grocery shopping! I’m definitely in the love camp, but I can understand why people hate it too. Sometimes it’s the last thing I feel like doing! More often than not though, I love the time I spend reading labels and checking my list.

Lynne asked if I used CouponSTL, and I have started because you suggested it, so thank you! It’s a pretty helpful tool, because it rounds up sales and coupons for local stores. I’ve also been using Saving in St. Louis as another local round-up site.

As for nationwide blogs, I posted about Organic Deals before (such a lifesaver with coupons!) and I’ve also been using Healthy Life Deals. I like that one because it gives a rundown of Whole Foods sales in your region and stacks coupons for you.

LauraB asked if I print coupons out online and the answer is yes! I’ve started doing this more and more. I usually use the links from those blogs above. Sometimes it will lead me to a couponing site, sometimes to a facebook page, sometimes their website. They make “official” online coupons so you know if it’s a real coupon or not, and I’ve never had a problem using them!

In order to keep the Grocery posts prevalent, I created a super simple button that I will leave in the right hand column. Just click this to find all posts tagged “groceries!” Check it out —>

The next most important question is:
who won the Chobani giveaway?!

 
The winner is comment #87, from Natalie at The Sweets Life! Natalie is a local STL blogger that I hope to meet someday soon. She’s also an awesome cook with great photos and recipes on her blog, so I encourage all of you to follow her! Natalie, email me your address! everylittlethingblog at gmail dot com.

Now, on to my dinner from a couple nights ago, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Orecchiette. Another meatless wonder that was so tasty. I saw this recipe on Amanda’s blog, Grains of Paradise, and it looked phenomenal. She named it “Adult Mac and Cheese” and it really is!

Orecchiette is just a type of pasta, so don’t let that intimidate you. I found it at Whole Foods. It’s shaped like a disc (actually, the name comes from its likeness to an ear!) and is ideal for vegetable dishes. My ingredients for 2-4 servings included:

3/4lb orecchiette pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp lemon juice (didn’t have fresh on-hand, boo)
salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbsp organic goat cheese (use as much as you want!)
1 tbsp chives
freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping

In a large pot, boil pasta until just al dente, about 11 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, chop your onion and crack your asparagus. I chopped onion for a slow cooker meal that’s simmering away right now, so I was a bit teary-eyed!

 
I’ve gotten a lot better with my chopping!

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil until simmering. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add your asparagus and red pepper and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.

Add pasta, reserved cooking water, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes, until the asparagus becomes even more tender. Add your goat cheese and chives and stir until just melted.

Serve with shredded parm on top.

Asparagus is in season in some parts of the US, so it’s on sale in most grocery stores. It most notably contains folate (a B vitamin) which helps fight heart disease, as well as vitamins E, A, and C!

Organic asparagus is somewhat hard to find, but it’s fairly low on the pesticide list. I used conventional for this recipe, and washed it well.

(Matt likes way more red pepper than I do!)

This recipe served both of us and left a hearty lunch the next day.

I love you, goat cheese.

Thanks to everyone for participating in my Chobani giveaway. I have two more coming up that I think you’ll love, so stay tuned!

Question: What’s your favorite kind of pasta?

(Orecchiette might be a new favorite, but shells will always be up there!)