Lemon Broccoli Pasta + Exciting News! Recipe

I’ll cut to the chase and just start with “exciting news” part – we’re writing a cookbook! I haven’t been overly secretive about it, but it’s official… 288 pages of never-been-blogged-before vegetable-ey goodness will be out next April! (I know, I know, a whole year away – I promise it’ll be worth the wait). It’s being published by Penguin US and Penguin Canada, the teams behind some of my favorite books including Oh She Glows and What Katie Ate.

We’ve been hard at work for months now and I can’t wait to show you how it’s coming together! I’ll be sharing updates and previews as we go – but I’d also love to hear if there’s a recipe you’ve been dying to see – I’m all ears if you have any special requests :).

Before I get on to the recipe, I just wanted to take a minute and say THANK YOU to all of you who have been reading and cooking along with us week after week, year after year. When I set out to start this blog, I honestly had no expectation of what would come of it. I knew I was passionate about food. I knew I wanted a project to work on with Jack, and I knew if nothing else, my mom would read it. Fast forward 3+ years and I’m just so darn grateful that I get to do what I love every day and share it with all of you.

And now – pasta. I think this is a delicious winter-meets-spring meal. I had these gorgeous garlic scapes and some bright broccolini, but if your spring produce hasn’t sprung yet, broccoli and regular garlic will do the trick. Instead of grated cheese, I made a salty-cheese-ish topping using hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast. It doesn’t taste just like cheese, but it’s good, good for you, and also husband approved. If those ingredients are not in your pantry, just grate some fresh parmesan or pecorino.

5.0 from 6 reviews

Lemon Broccoli Pasta + Exciting News!

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Serves: serves 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic scapes, chopped into 1 inch pieces (or 1 clove minced garlic)*
2 cups broccolini or broccoli florets
6 oz. brown rice spaghetti
squeeze of lemon + a bit of lemon zest
hemp seed topping (below), or freshly grated parmesan cheese
a few basil leaves, sliced
a pinch of red chile flakes
salt and pepper

"Cheesy" hemp seed topping: (this makes extra)

½ cup hemp seeds
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the hemp seed topping: In a food processor, pulse together hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds and salt. Set aside
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.
Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic scapes, broccolini, salt and pepper. Let cook until broccolini is tender but still vibrant green, about 4-5 minutes. Scoop pasta out of the pot and directly into your skillet and toss. Add a squeeze of lemon, stir, remove from heat and serve.
Top pasta bowls with basil leaves, a sprinkle of hemp seed topping (or grated cheese), red chile flakes and a little lemon zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Notes

*If you're using minced garlic instead of garlic scapes, add it after the broccoli so it cooks for less time and doesn't burn.

For the brown rice pasta: I like the Jovial or Tinkyada brands.