My favorite part of the summertime is waking up on a Saturday morning and walking to the farmer’s market with Lu.
We have a bit of a routine – and I love routines, I find them very personal and comforting.
Every Saturday morning (that we’re around), we wake up, get dressed and Lu grabs his backpack and some canvas tote bags.
We walk to a coffee shop nearby called sam A.M., order iced coffees to-go (or have breakfast there) and then walk to the farmer’s market right down the street (Stony Hill Farms.)
We’ve gotten to know the farmer there, Dale (what a farmer’s name, right?!) and he’s so kind to us – he points out the largest zucchinis, he tells me about seeing something about Inspiralized somewhere and he’s just a wealth of information.
Farmer’s markets are not only an inexpensive way to purchase your produce, but a great way to eat seasonally and connect with your community – you see the same faces there and you find yourself in conversation with strangers about healthy eating or your city.
There are always the typical pick-ups: fresh berries, peaches, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuces, basil, mint, potatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and of couuuuurse zucchinis. #allthezucchinis
Aside from the usual pickups, I always look around and grab something to experiment with in the kitchen. Every week, it’s something different – whether it’s garlic scapes or butter lettuce, I try my best to be adventurous.
This time, it was golden beets – because they looked so beautiful. I hadn’t used spiralized golden beets since this crab recipe, so I was excited to whip something up.
What makes this dish irresistible is the roasted garlic-parmesan dressing – who doesn’t love roasted garlic (it’s so simple to do, too!)? The slight hint of parmesan is savory and robust.
The beet noodles make for a slightly sweet, earthy pasta base, while the lentils provide a lean, clean protein source. The asparagus gives the dish more heartiness and veggies, as well as that charred-like grill taste, which is perfect for summertime!
As long as you have lentils in the pantry, this is a farmer’s market-friendly recipe!
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Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 10 points
Golden Beet Pasta with Grilled Asparagus, Lentils and Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Dressing
Ingredients
- For the garlic dressing:
- 1 head of garlic
- extra virgin olive oil to drizzle (use about 1/2 teaspoon)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the lentils:
- 1/2 cup lentils of choice
- 1 cup water
- For the rest:
- 5 oz asparagus ends trimmed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 medium golden beets peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the garlic to remove all the papery outer layers, leaving intact only the single layer around the individual cloves. Cut about 1/2 inch of the top of the head, exposing the individual cloves. Place on a baking tray or a muffin tin and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover the top of the garlic with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until garlic is soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove the garlic from the oven and let cool until cool enough to handle. Peel away the papery skin and place 6 of the cloves in a food processor along with the olive oil, parmesan, red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper and pulse until no large chunks of garlic remain. Set aside.
- While the garlic is cooking, cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils under cold water. Place the lentils in a medium saucepan along with the water and bring to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, reduce to a low simmer and cook 20-30 minutes, adding water if needed (always keep lentils “barely covered.”) Lentils are cooked once they are tender but not mushy. Set aside.
- While lentils and garlic cook, place a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus to a bowl with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Once the pain is heated, add in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, flip over and cook another 3-5 minutes or until asparagus is grilled and fork-tender. Set aside and add in the beet noodles. Cook the beet noodles for 7-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until wilted and al dente.
- Divide the beet noodles into bowls and top with asparagus and lentils. Drizzle each with roasted garlic dressing.
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