#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

February 27, 2012 · Narrative

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
Mystic and I were talking about food the other day.  It’s something we do a lot of.  And kissing.  We do a lot of that too.  That, however, is a post for another day.  We were talking about how different food helps you feel better about yourself.  What you’re doing to your body.  What you’re putting into it.  I got back on my slightly askewed clean eating wagon, and coupled with Day 7 of being Diet Coke-free (he is on Day 5), I’m once again feeling the euphoria of doing right by my body.

The evidence?  This pasta salad I recently made.  (Joanne, consider this the e-mailed recipe that I promised you).  I made it one night last week, and aside from roasting the vegetables and cooking the pasta noodles, it takes nothing to pull together.  I had it for dinner that night, and seriously could not wait for the leftovers for lunch the next day.

That’s the thing about good food.  And likewise, food that’s good for you.  You crave it.  You put good food in your body and you want more of it.  That’s totally a movement that I can get behind.  And one that I’ve admittedly missed.  It makes you want to move more.  Exercise more.  Recommit yourself to yourself.  It’s that domino effect in the very best possible way.

Roasted vegetables (which are in and of itself an amazing thing).

Chick peas.  Something I sometimes snack on straight from the can.

Goat cheese.  Warm goat cheese?  Oh yes please.

The recipe for how I made this dish is loosely outlined below.  But consider it just that.  A loose outline.  Mix and match the roasted vegetables that you like to create your own little dish of wonderful.  Take advantage of the season’s best.  Add more of what you like.  Cut back on what you don’t.

But make this salad.  Treat your body good.  We’re all happier for it.  Swear.

Tomorrow?  A review of a semi-local Israeli restaurant.

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
olive oil cooking spray
assorted vegetables for roasting (I used brussels sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, butternut squash, a small eggplant, a red onion and kale)
5 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
chick peas

Vinaigrette:
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2:1 ratio olive oil and balsamic vinegar to make a standard vinaigrette

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.  Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Rinse well, drain, and set aside.

Spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and add all your vegetables in a single layer.  Roast in the oven until just brown, about 10-15 minutes.  Put vegetables in large bowl.

Prepare vinaigrette, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Add pasta and vinaigrette to bowl with vegetables and toss to coat evenly.  Top with goat cheese.  Devour.

*Best eaten slightly warm or room temperature.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    February 28, 2012 at 7:21 am

    Thanks love!

    I’m so glad one of us is getting on the healthy eating bandwagon again. I’ve been SO BAD lately with late night snacking. Awful. It stops. Today.

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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