It’s quite embarrassing that I haven’t posted anything in nearly two whole weeks, so let me break the ice a bit with this quickie one-pan meal. It uses fresh vegetables and another fun pasta shape – orzo.

Orzo is a small pasta, shaped rather like large rice grains, and particularly well-suited to my favorite one-pan meal concoctions. Basically, you can just toss it into the pan with everything else, and it will cook itself! One less pot to wash!

This dish is also very versatile – don’t limit yourself to the vegetables I used here. You can use whatever’s on hand or even (ack! don’t tell anyone!) frozen mixed vegetables of your choice! And it takes about 30 minutes or less from fridge to table. No excuses, now!

Orzo Pasta & Veggie Skillet

(makes about 4 servings as a main dish)

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped coarsely

3-4 cloves garlic (or more if you like), chopped coarsely

approx. 3 cups broccoli florets

2 large yellow summer squash, chopped coarsely

1 large (or 2 medium) tomatoes, chopped coarsely

1 32 oz. container of vegetable stock or broth (preferably organic)

1 box orzo pasta

salt & pepper to taste

Shredded parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Preparation:

In a large pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high, then add the onions and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the broccoli and squash, stir and cook briefly, or till the broccoli starts to turn a bright green. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.

Pour in the vegetable stock, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a boil. Now add the orzo, stir to combine, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat to medium. Allow to cook for about 12-15 minutes.

Sprinkle individual servings with parmesan cheese, if desired.

There’s more to pasta than spaghetti and elbow macaroni, you know, and farfalle – or bow tie pasta – is one of those fun and versatile shapes that everyone loves.

Here’s a way to make a quick, yet satisfying, meal with ingredients straight out of the pantry. This is one of our favorites because it’s another one of those one-pan meals you can throw together in the blink of an eye. It’s also perfect for “Meatless Monday” or any day of the week!

Farfalle Chickpea Toss

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 15-1/2 oz. cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) – drained
1 14-1/2 oz. can organic chopped tomatoes
4 cups organic vegetable stock
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp. dried cilantro (or 2 Tbs. fresh, chopped coarsely)
1 box of Farfalle (Bow Tie) pasta – 14 oz or 16 oz

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent – about 5 minutes.

Stir in the drained chickpeas and allow to cook for one minute. Then add the can of chopped tomatoes, together with its liquid, the vegetable stock, and the salt and pepper. If using dried herbs, add them now. If using fresh, hold off.

Bring the pan to a boil and add the pasta, stir well, cover tightly, reduce heat to medium,and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the pan cover and stir well. If using fresh herbs, add them now. Check the pasta to see if it’s done to your taste. There should also be very little liquid left in the pan. If the pasta’s not quite done, or if there is excess liquid in the pan, cook uncovered for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Serve this with a fresh, green salad on the side and dinner’s done!

Note:

Just a quick note (to go with a quick post on a quick meal!) – Play with your herbs! If you have access to fresh, by all means, use them! But even a pinch of dried herbs will add a layer of flavor to just about anything you cook. And change ‘em up from time to time. If you don’t like cilantro – and that seems to be a big deal, these days for some reason – use Italian parsley or basil.

And if you’re concerned about the cost of organic ingredients, check out your local warehouse club (like Costco, BJ’s, Sam’s Club, etc.). My local Costco sells 8 cans of a national brand organic chopped tomatoes for about $6. The organic vegetable stock? My local grocery chain’s store brand. And it tastes better than the national brands!

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And in other news:

The winner of the $50 CSN Stores giveaway, is Julie D., comment number 5! Congratulations, Julie!

Thanks for playing, everyone!