A meal in a bowl!
Serves: 1 (about 3 c)
2 T dried split peas
2 c vegetable stock
¼ c dry elbow macaroni
½ T olive oil
¼ c chopped onion
¼ c chopped carrot
¼ c chopped celery
¼ c chopped zucchini
¼ c chopped tomato
4 oz fresh spinach
1/8 t minced garlic
1/16 t salt
1/16 t oregano
1/32 t basil
1/32 t thyme
1 bay leaf (per pot, not per serving)
1 whole clove (per pot, not per serving)
¼ c canned kidney beans
Freshly ground black peppe
Fresh Parmesan cheese, or a leftover rind
- Rinse peas; bring to boil in stock; reduce heat to simmer; cover; cook 30 min.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. When done, remove pasta with slotted spoon, reserving cooking water.
- While peas and pasta cook, heat oil in heavy skillet over low heat.
- Chop onion roughly same size as macaroni and beans; add to skillet. Repeat with carrot, celery, zucchini, tomato, spinach and garlic, stirring often, until vegetables soften.
- Meanwhile, add spices to stock pot.
- Stir sautéed vegetables into stock pot; cook, covered, until peas start to disintegrate, another 15 min. Meanwhile, rinse beans twice.
- Add beans and macaroni; heat through, adding pasta liquid to desired consistency. If using a cheese rind, toss it in.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper before serving; serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
- Substitute lentils or any dried beans for peas. Dried beans may need to soak overnight before rinsing twice, then boiling.
- Substitute ½ c cooked macaroni for dry.
- Substitute ¼ c cooked spinach for raw.
- Substitute cabbage, escarole or other greens for spinach. Really any vegetable substitutions are fine.
- Substitute white (cannellini) beans for kidney beans.
- Substitute winter vegetables (root vegetables, squash) for summer ones (celery, tomato, zucchini).
