{"id":8412,"date":"2013-03-09T08:11:47","date_gmt":"2013-03-09T16:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/?p=8412"},"modified":"2013-03-09T08:11:47","modified_gmt":"2013-03-09T16:11:47","slug":"creamy-asparagus-pasta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/?p=8412","title":{"rendered":"Creamy Asparagus Pasta"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I tried another Eating Well recipe from the Mix It Up nutrition program that my work is doing. This time around I substituted a few things because I didn&#8217;t have all of the ingredients and wasn&#8217;t feeling like making a special trip to the grocery store. I&#8217;ll include my substitutions, but will mention what the original <strong>Creamy Asparagus Pasta<\/strong> recipe actually called for.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1407.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8420\" alt=\"IMG_1407\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1407.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1407.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1407-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We are in our 5th week of the nutrition competition with only 3 more weeks to go. My team has dropped into 14th place. A few team members are finding it hard to get in 9 servings a day and that&#8217;s pretty much the only way to compete with the top teams. I&#8217;m super proud of our team, we have all\u00a0 worked hard to hit every color category.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/chart.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8424\" alt=\"chart\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/chart.jpg\" width=\"431\" height=\"151\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/chart.jpg 431w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/chart-300x105.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m the first pie chart. I clearly favor red and green fruits and vegetables. I&#8217;m trying very hard to ramp up my blue &#8211; so far I&#8217;m primarily eating black beans, purple cabbage, frozen blueberries and blackberries and purple kale when I can find it. Raisins are on the list, but I don&#8217;t want the extra sugar. 3 more weeks and then the 8 week 60 min.\/day exercise challenge starts back up. Excited to change it up this go around, I recently joined a new gym. Woohoo!<\/p>\n<p>O.k&#8230; so back to the <strong>Creamy Asparagus Pasta<\/strong> recipe.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1377.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8415\" alt=\"IMG_1377\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1377.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1377.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1377-300x227.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>10 oz. Mrs. Leeper&#8217;s Rice Vegetable Twists (Recipe called for 8 oz. whole-wheat penne pasta)<\/li>\n<li>1 Bunch Asparagus &#8211; trimmed and cut into 3\/4-inch pieces<\/li>\n<li>1 1\/2 Cups Whole Milk &#8211; room temperature<\/li>\n<li>4 Teaspoons Stone Ground Mustard (Recipe called for whole-grain mustard)<\/li>\n<li>4 Teaspoons Flour<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 Teaspoon Salt<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper<\/li>\n<li>2 Teaspoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil<\/li>\n<li>3 Tablespoons Crushed Garlic (Recipe called for minced)<\/li>\n<li>1 Teaspoons Dried Crushed Rosemary (Recipe called for 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon, or 1\/2 teaspoon dried)<\/li>\n<li>1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest\u00a0 &#8211; I used Meyer lemons<\/li>\n<li>2 teaspoons lemon juice<\/li>\n<li>3\/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided (Recipe called for 1\/2 cup)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.<\/li>\n<li>Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in dried crushed rosemary, lemon zest and juice.<\/li>\n<li>Stir the sauce into the pasta-asparagus mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1\/2 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1\/4 cup Parmesan and Meyer lemon zest.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/recipes\/creamy_asparagus_pasta.html\" target=\"_blank\">Link to the original EatingWell.com Recipe<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1383.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8416\" alt=\"IMG_1383\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1383.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1383.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1383-300x202.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I prefer the thinner asparagus in general, so that&#8217;s what I used. I washed, chopped and set the asparagus aside until my pasta had cooked most of the way through.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1386.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8417\" alt=\"IMG_1386\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1386.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1386.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1386-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Inglehoffer Stone Ground Mustard is one of my favorite mustards. I&#8217;m a huge fan of mustard seeds in my mustard. I&#8217;ve been known to dip pretzels in it for a snack. I&#8217;ve found it for pretty cheap at Cost Plus World Market, but they also have it at some of the grocery stores that I frequent.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1392.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8430\" alt=\"IMG_1392\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1392.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1392.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1392-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I brought my milk mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cooked it until thickened. I then added the dried crushed rosemary, lemon zest and lemon juice.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1389.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8418\" alt=\"IMG_1389\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1389.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1389.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1389-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I added the asparagus to the Mrs. Leeper&#8217;s Rice Vegetable Twists with 3 minutes remaining. I&#8217;ve found that 7 minutes is the perfect amount of time for the twists, they are really easy to overcook and then they turn to mush. A gluten-free friend turned me on to the twists at one of the Foodbuzz festivals a few years back. The twists get their coloring from spinach, beet and tomato powder. If you read the description on Amazon, it will tell you beef powder, ha! ha! &#8211; thinking that might stop some vegetarians from purchasing it&#8230; I assure you, I read the packaging, it&#8217;s beet not beef powder.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/saute.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8431\" alt=\"saute\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/saute.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/saute.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/saute-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The directions told me to stir the sauce into the asparagus\/pasta mixture, but I did the opposite&#8230; oh well, it worked just fine.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1403.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8419\" alt=\"IMG_1403\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1403.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1403.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1403-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Not the prettiest bowl in the world, but it tasted great! I would have loved to try the fresh tarragon, and will do so next time. I also might try switching up the veggies for next time too. If you are not a mustard grain lover, you might want to go with 2 teaspoons instead of 4 &#8211; I could definitely taste the mustard zing&#8230; but for me, that was a good thing.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1409.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8421\" alt=\"IMG_1409\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1409.jpg\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1409.jpg 475w, http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/IMG_1409-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I portioned out 4 servings and each was about 1 1\/2 &#8211; 1 3\/4 cups each. I ate the bowl piping hot for lunch&#8230; but could also see it as a side dish to grilled veggies (I&#8217;m a little obsessed with mass amounts of veggies right now), chicken or fish.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m having fun trying the Eating Well recipes from the Mix It Up app. We also get daily tips. The tip for today was about pint-sized portions &#8211; one of the things it mentioned is that children have a natural instinct to stop eating when they&#8217;re full&#8230; so let them tell you when they&#8217;ve had enough. Don&#8217;t pressure them to clean their plates if they&#8217;re not hungry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong> Were you (or are you still) part of the &#8220;Clean Your Plate&#8221; club? We were not pressured to clean our plates as kids&#8230; but we were encouraged to eat what we served ourselves as we got older. I do however remember sitting at the dinner table with a full glass of milk and being told&#8230; finish your milk. It was after numerous stomach aches that we determined that I was just not meant to be a big milk drinker.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/foo1120.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1456\" alt=\"foo1120\" src=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/foo1120.jpg\" width=\"74\" height=\"41\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I tried another Eating Well recipe from the Mix It Up nutrition program that my work is doing. This time around I substituted a few things because I didn&#8217;t have all of the ingredients and wasn&#8217;t feeling like making a special trip to the grocery store. I&#8217;ll include my substitutions, but will mention what the &hellip; <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link btn\" href=\"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/?p=8412\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,21],"tags":[522,523,525,524],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8412"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8412"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8445,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8412\/revisions\/8445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/foodiddy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}