Versatile Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

Serves 4

- 1 box of orecchiette pasta (any kind, but I used Banza chickpea pasta)

- 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped into small pieces

- 1 small broccoli head or 1 bunch of broccoli rapini, roughly chopped

- 2 cups of cubed tofu (or chicken)

- 1 lemon

- 2 cloves garlic

- Salt & pepper

- 3-4 tbsp Olive oil

Directions:

Follow package instructions on how to cook the pasta of your choice. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare your veggies to be sauteed. Carefully toss cubed tofu with a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on med/high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the tofu. Cook without moving for 3 minutes, then carefully move the tofu around the pan. Cook for 2 more minutes, then set tofu aside in a bowl. Add oil back to the pan if needed & reduce heat to medium. Throw the asparagus, broccoli, and garlic into the pan. Add a pinch of salt & squeeze about 2 tbsp of lemon juice in. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the tofu back in then turn the heat off. Add the pasta after it has been drained. Add 2 more tbsp of lemon & drizzle over about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Serve in a bowl with pepper & cheese on top or save for the next day. You can reheat it or eat as a pasta salad! If eating as a pasta salad, drizzle olive oil on top and mix it in.

Notes:

If you want to prepare this veggie pasta the night before and eat it the next day for lunch, it can eaten hot or cold. You can use any type of pasta you want: regular, gluten free, chick pea, etc. You could also sub the tofu for chicken instead. Using tofu or chicken adds protein to the meal as well as the chickpea pasta, so if you're preparing it this way, it's a great high protein meal. If you are eating this as a pasta salad, you could add in cubed avocado. If you're eating hot, you can add in a tablespoon of parmesan or feta. I created this recipe in a bigger portion so that it could be used for more than 1 lunch if you're having a busy week.

Try it out and let me know what you think! Tag @chloejaide on Instagram and I'll repost your creation.