Your days are numbered, Fall Term. I’m watching you, and I know most of campus is too. As the glorious winter break approaches, I’m becoming more aware of the overwhelming number of pages I need to write before I leave, and German verbs I need to know how to conjugate. Wie sagt man… “stressed”?
All work aside, we need to eat, don’t we? College students often forget that skipping meals in order to study doesn’t always mean you’ll perform better on an exam. In fact, without the proper nutrition, you are a lot more likely to get sick, feel exhausted, and your brain definitely won’t be able to function sufficiently. But instead of procrastinating by sitting at dinner in Andrew Commons for longer than you should, how about making something of your own?
Cooking will take your mind off of your work temporarily, and eating something you made with your own hands is always more gratifying. I’ve got the perfect pasta dish that will not only last you for several consecutive nights of studying, but also feature seasonal foods that are at the ready for you in this glorious time of fall.
You will need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint cremini mushrooms,
- sliced
- 1 cup sweet potato
- (chopped into cubes)
- 4 cups spinach or leafy
- greens of your choice
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons chopped sage
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese,
- freshly grated
- salt and pepper to taste
What to do:
Heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms and continue cooking mushrooms thoroughly. Add sweet potatoes, greens and broth to the pan and, without stirring, place lid over top and allow vegetables to steam for six minutes. At this point, the greens should have begun to wilt and the potatoes to soften. Toss the vegetables and continue cooking until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook pasta. When complete, drain and return to pot, adding the cooked vegetables and any cooking liquid in the pan. Stir to prevent pasta from sticking.
In your now empty sauté pan, melt the butter and add the sage, cooking for a minute or two. Add the cream and cheese and stir until melted and heated through. Return pasta and vegetables to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce and re-warm the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste as needed. Enjoy!