Meatless Monday: Red Quinoa with Cumin Garlic Butter

{Source;This is what my photos should look like. Obvi, I've got lots of work to do}

I would like to introduce you to my new best friend in food, quinoa. I don't know about you, but I'm way late to this particular party [which is fairly standard for me]. It's not that I've never heard of quinoa, it's been on my radar for a while, but it never really occurred to me to actually eat it until recently--and by recently I mean at least two months ago when I had some at TJ's house during one of our many pole practices. TJ and I like to pole, then booze, then eat, then pole some more. It's easy to see why we're friends, no?

But before I continue, allow me to wear my "health educator" hat for a moment. Did you know that quinoa [pronounced keen-wah] is considered a super food? Quinoa is an ancient "grain" [it's not actually a grain, but is closely related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds] that is high in complete protein, meaning in includes all nine essential amino acids. It's also a good source of fiber, manganese, magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, vitamin E, iron, and selenium--which according to various resources may be especially valuable for people who suffer from  migraines, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and weight control issues. That's pretty damn super.

Meatless Monday: Purple Cabbage & Green Onion Slaw

So Thanksgivng has come and gone, and if your holiday was anything like mine, then you're probably wishing you had packed more macaroni and cheese and ham in your "to go" Tupperware while simultaneously regretting your decision to eat half your body weight in meat, mac n cheese, stuffing and 3 types of cakes during the last 72 hours.  And you may or may not have eaten the skin off of half the turkey all by yourself. I plead the fifth!

If there's one thing I've learned in my 25ish years of Thanksgiving gluttony, it's how to pace myself so that I don't overeat to the point of hating myself and everything around me. Why it took me that long to learn that lesson is beyond me. However, it's also taken me 25 or so years to learn that when it comes to the holidays, and Thanksgiving especially, that I am inevitably and unabashedly going to eat nothing but meat, cheese, bread and sugar, for at least 3 consecutive days. It's just a fact of life.

Meatless Monday: Chickpea Patties with Yogurt Sauce

Chick Pea Patties. They're kind of self explanatory, right? Ok, they're really not, but it seems my creative writing skills seem to be on hiatus at the moment. So sadly, I have no quippy vignette about my life, no cynical musings about the state of our society, no absurd commentary on why I think veganism is quite possibly a cult--I got nothing for you.

Well except for these chickpea patties, of course. And while they were in fact quite tasty, I could never suggest that they are adequate meat replacement, in the way several recipes that I came across during my research called for. I mean, c'mon, veggieheads! Pulverized chickpeas formed into a patty form and served between two pieces of bread does not a burger make. That's just a slap in the face to all the sacrificial cows and corresponding meatheads who reaped the delicious benefits of their sacrifice! I'm just sayin.

Meatless Monday: Roasted Pepper & Onion Pizza

Do you know what I love about pizza? Well aside from the obvious reasons [cheese, crust, CHEESE]. It's the fact you can make a pizza with just about anything so long as you have a some form of crust and bountiful cheese [do you see a pattern here?]. Seeing as how pizza has been a recurring theme on this here blog, it should come as no surprise that I've created yet another pie of epic deliciousness, and literally with everything that was inside my refrigerator which somehow turned out to be vegetarian.

Really it all started with some green peppers that I bought at the farmers market and then forgot about, even though they had been sitting in plain sight for a whole week. Well it's not so much that I forgot about them, as that I had no time to cook, what with all the simultaneous car shopping and apartment hunting that was wreaking havoc on my life for a few weeks.

Meatless Monday: Fire Roasted Corn Salad

S U M M E R T I M E

and the livin' is easy....

If only that were true. I love summer, but even if the livin' were easy, it would still most certainly be busy, almost to the point of absurdity, especially for a sun worshiper like me. You see, during late fall through early spring, I suffer from a mild form of Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as the I hate everyone and everything because the sun went down at 4:30pm and I have to walk home and then walk the poodle when it's 25 degrees outside not counting the windchill, it's too cold to anything fun and tomatoes are out of season, when the EFF is it going to be summer again?! blues.  Then, after I spend the better half of a year wishing for summer, it finally arrives, and before you can say sunscreen, I'm practically running around outside waving my hands over my head, shouting Ke$ha lyrics at strangers because THIS PLACE'S ABOUT TO BLOW-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH  it's summer! During the 90 glorious days in which sunshine pours from the heavens in copious quantities, I make it my personal mission to eat, drink, laugh, splash, and frolic my way into summer bliss at any and every given opportunity. Yes, it's that serious.

So I decided that the epicurean-focused portion of my quest for summertime bliss could not and would not be complete without a fabulous picnic at the Reggae Wine Festival. That's right, reggae bands+wine+bougie picnic=Awesome. Naturally, I felt that my fabulous picnic spread would be nothing less than uncivilized without a fantastic summer salad, and thought it nothing less than divine intervention when I came across a video of Chef Marcus Samuelsson making a roasted corn salad, and then found the perfect recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Meatless Monday: City Girl Coleslaw

¡Sin mayonesa, por favor! In addition to, "Si, soy Americana, y yo no voté por George Bush" and "¿Donde está el baño?" I am absolutely certain that these will be the most important words of my Spanish lexicon to ensure both a smooth and happy transition transition to my future life in Spain. You see, the Spanish are really into mayonnaise, and for as long as I've been alive,  I have harbored a pure and unadulterated hatred toward mayonnaise that was the cause of many b!tch fits/food tantrums in my childhood. In an outright defiance of the expectations of the maturation of the palate from infancy to adulthood, it seems that my disdain for this condiment has actually gotten worse. No longer can my taste buds ignore the presence and rancid taste of mayonnaise in classic dishes like coleslaw and potato salad. No more will I subject myself to forcibly ingesting portabello sandwiches that would otherwise be perfect had they not been smeared with "garlic aoli" because the owners of Soup's On refuse to make a yogurt based garlic spread per my telepathically demanded, though never verbally submitted requests. NO MORE! Today this city girl takes a stand! Today, I declare my war on mayonnaise! Whose with me?!

Now that I've amassed an army formidable enough to take on the evil mayonnaise empire, the first matter of business is this 1000% awesome, though hardly original, mayonnaise-free coleslaw, fit for city girls and mayonnaise haters alike. 

Meatless Monday: Crispy Sweet Potato Roast

So, I'm a jealous person. It's one of my many flaws. But I'm in Spain right now, so I'll deal with my flaws when I get back. But back to me being jealous. You see, I'm jealous of the creative genius that is Smitten Kitchen. She's just so darn perfect, it makes me sick. Or green with envy. And definitely, if not perpetually hungry. But her perfection also makes me strive to be better. Or so I'll tell that to myself, as I share my largely imperfect rendition of her take on Martha Stewart's Crispy Potato Roast .

In my defense, my dish would've looked closer to the original if I had a mandolin in my pantry. But as it stands, I can barely close my one utensil drawer, so where on earth I would store a mandolin is far beyond my ability to answer, and as such is yet another point of contention in my life.

Meatless Monday: City Girl Pasta Bowl

So I've decided to trademark the term "City Girl", and use it as the descriptor for my "original" recipes that I post on the blog when I can't think of anything else to call them. And by trademark, I mean, I'm going to use that term egregiously, claim it as my own, having done no prerequisite google search in order to avoid having my bubble burst upon discovering that some skank has already trademarked the term and is making a boat load of money by selling nasty food marketed to weight conscious women in our weight obsessed society. ::End mini-rant:: But actually now that I mention it, I probably should look into it, right? I mean, it's a pretty good idea--the trademarking thing--not the marketing of nasty low cal products, right? Hmm, that's something I can mull over before I pass out from a benedryl and white wine induced coma on my flight to Spain tomorrow! ¡Mañana a la feria!

Meatless Monday: Polenta with Gorgonzola

Have I ever mentioned that I love cheese? I'm sure I have, but really, who doesn't love cheese? This is America! However, I think it's safe to say that my love for cheese may run a little bit deeper than the average American's. As a rule, I keep three different types of cheese in my refrigerator at all times--typically fresh Parmigianno Reggiano, a New York or Irish cheddar and a wild card like goat or blue cheese. There was this one time at band camp that through some cruel twist of fate, my home was completely devoid of cheese and for reasons I'm not really clear on*, I had to wait several days before I could replenish my supply. Those dark days, which are forever etched into my psyche, made me realize just how important a role cheese plays in my kitchen. It also made me realize that I probably consume more cheese than is appropriate, and at some point I will have to reign in my lust for this milk based product--not just for the sake of my arteries, but also because I hope to be married one day, and cheese doesn't always love my occasionally lactose intolerant tummy--a fact I'm sure my future husband won't find too charming. TMI? Naahh...everybody farts.

But the thing about cheese is that it's awesome. And just a sentence after I said I should eat less of it, I present to you a polenta dish that chock full o' cheese. I'm not exactly crazy about polenta, which is essentially the Italian version of grits, but then again, I've never put much effort into making polenta. So last week, I decided to take a crack at it again, using a recipe from my trusty Everyday Italian cookbook.



Giada's recipe originally calls for heavy cream, but I just can't bring myself to cook with heavy cream, and I never keep it in my fridge. Half & half, however, is an excellent stand in for cream or milk, and is a staple in my refrigerator (along with cheese, bacon, and bourbon). I love simple recipes, and as you can see, this recipe calls for minimal ingredients (water not pictured). And just look at that glorious Gorgonzola!

Meatless Monday: Sun Dried Tomato Risotto Cakes

Pardon these awful pictures, I took these weeks ago and I was probably really really hungry. Because I'm always hungry. And that's the sucky part about food blogging--delayed gratification for the sake of pictures. Besides, I'm scheduled to get my new camera in 3 weeks, hurrah!

I have a love/hate relationship with Giada de Laurentiis.  There's just something about her that just grinds my gears. Perhaps it's that fact that her head is a skosh too big for her teen little body. Or that she appears to have ten too many teeth, which are all fully displayed every time she opens her mouth. I don't know about you, but every time she smiles, I always think of the shark exhibit you would see in a museum, where you're shown the multiple rows of teeth inside the shark's mouth [I'm just sayin'...]. If it's not her absurdly toothy smile, then it's definitely the subtle, but undeniable element of sex appeal that is ever present in shows--largely via the gratuitous use of pastel colored v-neck tops to display her disproportionately bountiful cleavage.  I can't fault her for capitalizing on her looks, however, I am a firm believer that in this great nation of ours--the fattest in the world*, I might add--that when it comes to food, you don't need to sex it up to sell it.  But in spite of all of my issues with her, I can't seem to pull myself away from the TV when she's on. She makes the type of food that I want to eat--simple, unfussy, and delicious, and at the end of the day, what matters most to my inner fat bastard is the food! Besides, my sources tell me that she's very wrinkly in person, and if the opportunity presented itself, I would totally dine at one of her contrived dinner parties at her beach side home in California. Because I'm sure she really is nice and not at all as condescending as she sometimes seems on TV.

Because I'm all about the food, it should come as no surprise that I own Giada's Everyday Italian Cookbook. One of my favorites recipes to make is Risotto, it's creamy, delicious, and one of the few times where I can cook with butter with zero guilt.  With its simplistic virtue, risotto lends itself to countless interpretations, and is the gift that keeps on giving. Supposedly, you can't reheat left over risotto because it loses it looses its creamy texture. In some regards this is true, but that hasn't stopped me from eating risotto for 4 days in a row before. But I finally decided to try my hand at risotto cakes, which uses left overs, just to switch things up, and follow the rules for once in my life.

Meatless Monday: Broccoli A La Planxa



I have a confession to make. This recipe is a restaurant rip-off. While I wish I was blessed with the sort of creative genius that is the calling card of truly talented culinary artists, and the driving force behind the rapidly changing food and restaurant culture, I have come to accept the fact that I am creatively limited. But what I lack in originality and creativity, I more than make up for in culinary gumption and guile. While I have never tried to replicate a restaurant dish before, I have used other's recipes as inspiration for many of the dishes featured here on the blog--that is until now. Last weekend, I had dinner at Pazo, which is my favorite restaurant in Baltimore, and where I had my birthday dinner last year. I love this place for many reasons, the most important being the food--which is Mediterranean inspired, with heavy Spanish and Italian influence. One of my favorite items on the menus is the broccoli a la planxa, which is a simple dish of steamed broccoli with chili infused oil, a hint of garlic and lemon, and topped with pecorino cheese. You wouldn't think that such a humble dish would be something to write a blog post about, but this dish has held its own, and managed to remain on their vast and constantly changing tapas menu for several years. Yeah, it's good like that.

So last Monday, when I realized that a pound of broccoli and a few lemons had been sitting in my produce drawer for over a week, I knew I had to give this recipe a try--immediately. Miraculously, the broccoli was still in tip top shape--which is a little scary when I think about it--but I won't complain, since at least it wasn't money wasted. I didn't have chili infused oil or pecorino cheese, but I did have chili flakes, olive oil, and fresh Parmesan--which are staples I keep in my pantry at all times. I also don't have a vegetable steamer, but there's a reason for that--why steam when you can oven roast? I think you know where this is going...

Soap Box Wednesday: The Meatless Monday Movement



{Source}

In general I consider myself a bit of a non-conformist. I don't jump on bandwagons easily, if at all. I still hate maxi dresses. I think labradoodles are ugly (and a waste of money if you're looking for a hypoallergenic dog, get a poodle! [I'm biased, see side bar]). And up until Monday, I refused to get on "the twitter" during almost an entire year of blogging, and yes I do and shall continue to call it "the twitter". It's just in my nature to be skeptical of and hesitant to adopt new trends--usually. But, there's usually an exception to every rule, even when it comes to behaviors, and the Meatless Monday movement is my exception.

Meatless Monday is a nationwide campaign, and globally focused goal, to reduce the population's meat consumption by 15% in order to improve individuals' personal health and the health of the planet. It is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, that provides the information and recipes, savvy readers such as you and me need to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives.

The health benefits of eating less meat are pretty obvious, but let's review them, shall we? On average, Americans consume 8 oz per day--45% more than what the USDA recommends (5.5oz/day). Reducing your meat intake may reduce your risk for chronic preventable conditions, like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

• There is a plethora of scientific data that demonstrates diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk--both red (beef, lamb, goat, venison, and even duck) and processed meat (anything that looks vastly different from slaughter to packaging--deli meats, anything from taco bell, etc) consumption is associated with colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.

• A recent Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods, like meat and full fat dairy, with vegetable oils, nuts and seeds significantly reduces your risk for heart disease

• Individuals on a low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study also found that reducing overall meat consumptions can prevent long-term weight gain.

There's a reason why this is a Monday Campaign, and it's not just because alliteration sells. For most people, the week starts on Monday, and it signals the shift from the freedom of the weekend to the structure of the work week. Monday may be the least favorite day of the week, but it sets our intentions for the next six days. As human beings, we're creatures of habits, and from an early age we internalize the rhythm of our lives. Which is why Monday is the perfect day to make a change for your health.

But wait, there's more...

Eating less meat, is also green! You might not know this, but I'm a little bit of a tree hugger. I think recycling is awesome, and acknowledge that global warming is very fucking real. The UN's Food & Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to global warming; far more than transportation!And as the world's population continues to grow, so does the demand for meat.

• Reducing meat consumption by a minimum of once a week can reduce your carbon footprint. 

The water needs of livestock are ridiculous, and significantly greater than those of vegetables and grains. Think about it, cow's are big sumbitches. An estimated 1,800 to 2500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef, whereas soy tofu in California requires 220 gallons per pound. You do the math...

• Reducing your meat consumption helps minimize water usage

And..AND, on average about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of grain fed beef in the US, compared to the 2.2 calories per calorie of plant-based protein.

• Reducing meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand, and further delay the inevitable WW3 over oil likely our near future.

Personally, I've taken the MM movement a few steps further, and for the last two and half months have fully adopted a flexatarian diet, and by that I mean, I've cut meat out of my diet at least three days of the week. Yes I'm serious. While I would never, ever, eva eva eva eva go completely vegetarian, and I'm convinced that veganism is a cult, much like Scientology, I certainly value the health benefits of eating significantly less meat, and the green aspect is just a plus. I also kind of got tired of my older sister being able to call me out on my meatatarian ways and dropping a ton of money on meat at the grocery store. So I took the plunge, and I have to say, it's been a lot easier than I thought it would be in terms of sticking to it. It's also a lot cheaper to buy less meat, and even though I get stuck in a food rut, I've found myself buying vegetables that I used to never look at, like Swiss chard, cabbage, beets, and jicama. The way I see it, it's a win-win, and I strongly encourage you to give a try, what have you got to lose?

Merry Wednesday!

Meatless Monday: Apple, Cheddar, and Arugula Sandwich

I know you though I forgot about Meatless Monday, but here it is, albeit after the close of business, but let's not split hairs here. I have always been intrigued by the concept of combining apples and cheese.  I was first introduced to this concept through season 5 of Top Chef, which featured my all time favorite contestant, Carla Hall. She made some kick ass apple pie and paired it with a simple wedge of cheddar. ::sidebar:: How she didn't win fan favorite that season is BEYOND me! I mean sure, Fabio was kinda cute and fresh off the boat from Italy, but take away that accent and he loses much of his charm. Carla's personality, however, just could not be beat and she's totally my friend in my head! Fabio could've been my lovah in my head, but it's obvious that he's put on some weight, so I think I'll pass:: But back to the apple and cheese. I remember thinking the combination of apple and cheddar cheese sounded strange and delicious, but soon forgot about it. Fast forward to a few weeks agao, when one of my favorite food blogs, A Cozy Kitchen featured an apple and cheddar crostini.  I was instantly reminded of my fascination with the combination, and vowed to recreate their recipe. But the beauty of my inability to follow directions is that it allows for creative freedom, which is exactly how I created this sandwich.

The foundation of any good sandwich, is the bread. I'm a huge fan of French baguettes, however, finding the perfect baguette is a labor of love that often results in me shelling out $3 for an acceptable, but not exceptional baguette from Whole Check Foods. On top of that foundation, there must be flavor and moisture agents. I ABHOR mayonnaise, but I cherish any opportunity to use dijon mustard. And what would cooking be without a wild card, like say a spreadable blue cheese? Oh yes, I went there.

My obsession with pepper knows no bounds, as I am enamored with arugula because of it's peppery bite. And the fact that's it's a green leafy vegetable packed with essential vitamins and minerals makes it the ideal alternative to water logged, and nutrient lacking lettuce.

Print this Recipe!
Ingredients
1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 oz NY Sharp Cheddar, thinly sliced
1 oz Gorgonzola Dolce
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
Fresh Arugula
1/4 French Baguette, split down the middle

Spread each side of bread with mustard and blue cheese, add arugula leaves, and intermittently layer with apple and cheese slices. And if you're anything like me, top with a little fresh cracked black pepper, and enjoy.

Meatless Monday: Fettuccine Marinara

There's something about butter that just makes me lose all common sense, and forget that it's loaded with artery clogging cholesterol and trans fats. I'm still confused as to how Paula Deen (Hi Y'all!) seems to be able to consume it in copious quantities and not drop dead or weigh half a ton, but I guess that's a conversation for another day. I'm sure you're wondering the the hell butter has to do with a simple pasta dish. Allow me to explain. You see, several months ago, after having seen the most depressing movie, possibly of all time, I found a little piece of happiness in a Middle Eastern dish whose name escapes me, that featured lamb and rice and crispy pita pieces fried in sizzling butter. If I said it had me at "sizzling butter", would that be too cliché? I suppose that doesn't really matter seeing as how cliché or not, that's exactly what happened. Like I said, butter has this a strange power over me, I couldn't help myself.

Fast forward to Sunday evening. I was hungry, tired, and practically out of food because I refuse to go grocery shopping during the weekend for any reason other than impending Armageddon, and even then, I would still try to wait till Monday evening just to avoid the rush.  Looking at my bare "pantry", I realized that pasta was my only option for dinner, and  was less than enthused about it. That was, of course, until I had an "a-ha" moment and remembered the crunchy buttery goodness of that fried pita, that made that meal so memorable could probably do the same for my hum drum pasta. Suddenly, I was excited about fettuccine noodles with store bought pasta sauce for dinner. Because of the life enriching shortening qualities of butter, I considered substituting olive oil in which to fry the pita.  I debated back and forth with my inner fat girl about why I should use olive oil instead--but in the end, that heifer somehow talked me into a compromise to use both. She also told me to add garlic to mix. Well, my inner fat girl was onto something. Something delicious! And next time, I'm going to do the right thing and use olive oil only. We can't all escape the grim reaper like my beloved Paula (Hi Y'all!)

Ingredients
1/2 box fettuccine noodles
1 jar pasta sauce
8-10 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
1 flat pita, sliced into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp +1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Sea Salt

In a very large pot, bring water seasoned with sea salt and olive oil to a rolling boil. In a heavy skillet, melt butter and olive oil over a medium flame. Add garlic and chopped pita pieces, coating them evenly in butter. Saute about 4 minutes on each side or until both sides are deep brown and pita is crispy. Remove from skillet and set aside. In that same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, pasta sauce and basil leaves, and let simmer on low heat. While sauce is simmering, add pasta noodles to boiling water, cook about 9 minutes or until tender, but with a firm bite (al dente). When sauce is heated thoroughly, combine with pasta and remove from flame. Plate pasta, arranging pita pieces on of and throughout the dish. Top with a healthy dose of coarsely ground black pepper and grated Parmesan.  Serve and enjoy. Then eat more pasta with more pita pieces. And then eat the rest of the pita piece as a "snack" or whatever you want to call it, because you and I both know that fried pieces of bread aren't going to be so very crispy on the second day.

Meatless Monday: Funghi a la Escargots

I used to hate mushrooms. HATE them. I used to hate mushrooms so much, that when I studied abroad in Italy, I would surreptitiously pick them out of my delicious and authentic Italian food, and put them on the side of my plate. I sometimes thought I could feel the resentment of the Italian people, and swore I saw them staring at me with jaws agape. But then again, the Europeans don't find it rude to stare at people as if they have two heads, I was the only person of color in my group, and the men there are every bit as aggressive and forward as you've heard, so I soon realized that if they were staring, it wasn't because I picked the mushrooms out of my spaghetti. Anyway, the moral of this story is that somehow or another my pure and unadulterated disdain for mushrooms slowly faded away, and now I consider myself a fan of the fungi. Which brings me to my next point, which is this amazing recipe for mushrooms in the style of escargot. You see, escargot is the French delicacy of snails. But a good travel book once told me that even if you don't like snails, you should still order the dish and sop up the butter and garlic based sauce with your bread. It's pure genius! I found this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and she found this recipe from Gourmet.com. It's the circle of liiiiiiiife (cue Disney music), and life is good and buttery and delicious!

Meatless Monday: Pepato Farfale Pasta

It's my first meatless Monday post! I promise to fill you in on details behind this movement, but for now, let's talk about the food.

I like pepper. A lot. I like pepper in all its forms, but I especially like black pepper. As far as I'm concerned,  it's one of the spices I absolutely can't live without. I heavily pepper my scrambled eggs for breakfast, I put it in dipping olive oil, I've even made black pepper vodka! So imagine my delight when I came across a pecorino pepato while browsing the cheese aisle in Whole Check Foods. It's an intensely sharp and salty sheep's milk cheese with whole back peppercorns in it. Initially, I was just looking for cheese to eat with a crusty baguette, but when I saw that, I just knew I had to use it in the pasta dish I was planning to make.

Ingredients
1/2 cup pecorino pepato, shredded
1 box farfale (bowtie) pasta
1 jar 4 cheese pasta sauce (don't judge me, I was in a rush)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Fresh basil leaves

This was super easy and only took about half an hour to make from start to finish.

In a large pot, bring water with salt and olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook about 8 minutes or until a little firmer than al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, simmer sauce with 1/4 cup of cheese and a healthy dose of black pepper. When sauce begins to bubble, stir in pasta, and let simmer another 2 to 3 minutes. Shred another 1/4 cup of cheese over pasta and sauce. Serve in a bowl and stir in fresh basil leaves.

You may have noticed that there was no salt added to this dish, and with good reason. The pecorino is very salty on its own, and jarred pasta sauces often serve up a whopping amount of sodium. In lieu of this fact, next time, I'm going to actually my own percorino pasta sauce. I've never made my own pasta sauce, but I know it will totally be worth it, and I'll be sure to share when I do.

Oh and in case you were wondering, it was really really good, and completely meat free.

(Eat, Read, Rant!) NO MEAT!