While many of the fun family things we love to do in the Spring are on hold, we’re bringing more Spring-y vibes to our kitchen and dinner plates instead. We love all the fresh ingredients that come to market this time of year, and have a simple, quick & nutritious recipe for you to try with your own gang – our Springtime Asparagus & Peas Pasta. Easy enough that your mini sous chefs can help with prep too!
*Disclaimer: this post was made in partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario, meaning we received compensation to facilitate this family recipe share. Thank you for supporting organizations that support family businesses*
We value the efforts our Ontario dairy farmers are making to ensure we have the highest quality milk, as well as the support Dairy Farmers of Ontario provides to help producers do so. We also took some time to learn about how milk gets from the farm to our table with the kids.
Dairy has always been a big part of our family’s diet, and with the current circumstance, Dad Chef and I say it would be a great time to bring back The Milk Man door service because our gang goes through it quick!
We love this recipe because it’s light-tasting yet packed with goodness our growing kiddos need – vitamins, protein, carbs, and calcium – using in-season greens and local Ontario milk and cheeses. Also, since we’re stretching our food budget with the soaring grocery expenses of these times, Dad Chef and I appreciate that all the ingredients are affordable without compromising on the nutritional value for our hungry brood.
For this Springtime Pasta recipe, big kids can chop the veggies and cook the pasta, while the little ones can toss in the veggies, whisk the sauce, and of course, all can be your taste testers. Connecting more in our cucina and seeing the kids enjoying learning more culinary skills has been a silver lining in these unreal times.
We used asparagus and peas as the main veggies, but feel free to swap in your family’s faves (like broccoli, baby spinach, kale, etc.). You can also substitute our bow tie (Farfalle) pasta with whichever type you fancy. This recipe takes under 20 minutes to cook (whoop!) and makes 4-6 servings.
Springtime Asparagus & Peas Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Pan or Skillet
Ingredients
- 500 g Pasta (*we used Vegetable Bow Ties*)
- 1 bunch Asparagus trim ends & cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup green peas fresh or frozen
- 2 Spring Onions chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (*or 1 stick of Butter*)
- ¼ cup low-sodium broth any
- 1 cup milk (*we used 2% dairy for taste factor & added protein*)
- ¾ cup Ricotta Cheese (*we used a light version*)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Coarse salt & ground black pepper to taste
- fresh parsley, basil or micro greens for garnish
- zest of lemon *to taste*
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil, add the pasta & cook until “al dente”. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in the pan over medium heat, add spring onions + garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until noticeably tender.
- Add milk, broth and ricotta, bring heat to medium-high, and whisk until mixture begins to boil. Let simmer for a few minutes, then add asparagus + peas and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium, then stir in Parmesan cheese. Add pasta to the sauce and toss until well-coated. Optional: elevate the flavour with some zest of lemon. Garnish with fresh parsley, basil or micro greens & freshly grated cheese. Serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
We hope you enjoy making this simple Springtime Pasta with your gang. We’d love to hear what your family is cooking/baking up with dairy these days, or if you need some recipe inspo, check out these ideas on Milk.org!
Keep well, eat well,
Leave a reply...