Lazy Days & a Recipe for Lemony Green Pasta

As we get closer to summer and the sun makes itself present in my life a little bit more each day, I get lazier and lazier. Well, sort of.

I become a lazy cook. I don’t want to spend hours preparing dinner when I could be out riding my bike. I don’t want to stand over a hot stove when I could be picking the grass with my toes. I absolutely don’t want to be taking the time to braise anything when I could instead be sitting on a patio at my favourite brewery sipping a pint.

Instead, I favour quick and simple meals, cook them outside {hello, barbecue season!}, and always have enough for leftovers the next day.

This Lemony Green Pasta dish is made in just a few minutes {use leftover pasta for an extra quick meal!} and goes perfectly along your favourite grilled meat. If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, double the edamame for more protein, and serve it as a main!

I apologize for the briefness of today’s story… it’s time for that bike ride.

Lemony Green Pasta
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
3 teaspoons olive oil, separated
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup edamame beans (beans only, pods discarded)
2 cups snap peas, tough ends trimmed
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
3 cups short pasta, such as rotini, cooked to al dente according to package instructions
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions:
1. Combine lemon juice and zest, 2 teaspoons olive oil, garlic, and herbs together in a small bowl; whisk well and set aside.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add the edamame beans and snap peas and cook until the peas are tender-crisp; stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the cooked pasta and the lemon mixture from step one, and cook for another two minutes, stirring often. Mix in the parmesan and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm with extra parmesan, if desired.