Creamy Pasta with Swiss Chard and Blue Cheese

This is low-fat meal is simple and quick and something you can throw together in 15 minutes, particularly if your pasta is already cooked as mine was from last nights Carbonara ( I LOVE bacon).  The measurements are not strict in order to have success.

You will need:

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

2T grapeseed oil (or ghee, or oil alternative)

1 bunch of swiss chard or spinach washed, drained and chopped

1/2 cup of blue cheese or any strong cheese such as asiago or parmesan

1/2-1 cup of sour cream (you can add some cream, milk or alternative too if you want but not necessary)

sea salt and cracked pepper

parmesan cheese for garnish

Wash and drain your greens. Chop into pieces.

Saute onion and garlic in 2 T of grapeseed oil.  Cook till onions soften slightly.

Add swiss chard and continue to saute until they soften.  

Add hot or cold pasta to the mix and stir around flipping hot ingredients on top of pasta. Warm about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream (and milk if using 1/4 c) then add blue cheese chunks and stir another few minutes.

Plate immediately and garnish with parmesan and salt and pepper.

Grilled Vegetable Balsamic Pasta w/ Basil

There is something so easy about grilling a selection of veggies on the grill and then putting them in everything from lasagna to pasta to sandwiches.  They are so tasty and easy to please most palates.  When grilling peppers you don't always have to go the road that means you have to peel them.  You can cook them till softened and then slice.  Blackening the skin is more time consuming and the flavor is richer but if you don't have the time the other method will work well.  These left over veggies were put in with left over spagetti drizzled with olive oil and balsamic making a nice room temperature pasta salad for lunch.

Cooked pasta/ spagetti

a few handfuls of spinach

grilled peppers (or any kind of veggie you like)

a few T. of feta cheese

a few T. of chopped basil

fresh cracked salt and pepper

balsamic reduction and olive oil to taste