Pasta With Herbed Roasted Carrots 🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕

Making pasta dishes is newer for me. I used to chiefly cook for a very picky eater who had a very long list of things he refused to eat, and a short list of things he would. So it was just more logical for me to have to work around that. All that chopping and mixing for it not to be received was kind of a waste of time and effort. Also, I used to really never touch pasta cuz of the whole carb thing. Now I do enjoy it occasionally, since many of my eating habits have changed. Out went meat and chicken, in went more fruit despite my former trainer telling me it’s loaded with sugar. Oh please, it’s natural! Out went anything with dietetic chemicals, in went higher fat content but clean and pure. Admittedly, it’s still a major mind F to eat carbs.

After years of living with the ghost of Dr Atkins sitting on my shoulder, there is a part of me that thinks I will instantly gain five pounds if I eat some bread or pasta. It bothers me that it bothers me. But as I continue to connect to my body through yoga and mindfulness, and as I learn that not only have I not gained weight but actually am leaner now, I’m able to expand the my own list of foods that I enjoy. I ate the same things for years! Such a robotic menu, which is so ridiculous given the beautiful, wide range of things we can put into our bodies. Our options are limitless. Especially for someone who loves to cook and experiment! It was another way I didn’t even realize I was closing myself off. Expansion, expansion, expansion, while maintaining yourself as you welcome new experiences into your life.

I’d never tell you, my dear Readers, that it doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside, and that you should eat whatever whenever. It does matter! Our bodies were gifts given to us for a finite period of time, to serve human purpose. They were given and will be taken away. They are ours temporarily to care for. A fit, healthy body with toned muscles is really important. Ignoring the care of our bodies is the same thing as never brushing your teeth. Everything we have requires care and attention. It all stems from awareness and appreciation. “Thank you for trusting me with this body. It’s an honor to care for it.”

Part of taking care of our bodies is being gentle to it too sometimes, and so eating a pasta with fresh, clean, seasonal ingredients is a good thing! With herbs plucked straight from my garden, this is definitely “farm to table”. Fine, it’s “backyard to table” but you get it. Plus, yoga does wonders for metabolism, so my newer induction of some more carbs into my diet has been dealt with through that. All the twists and turns, different angles, and stretching really gives the organs it’s own workout. It kicks them into high gear. At this point, if it’s clean and portioned, I’m in. My body is better now than it was when I only ate carbs twice a week with just an apple and half a grapefruit as my fruits. BORING. No one is giving a eulogy that includes “bless her, she never ate pasta. She stuck to her egg whites and cried herself to sleep”. Additionally, since I’m eating more delicious carbs and fruit, my craving for sweets has all but disappeared. I was a major dessert person always. It feels good to be letting that go. Sure, the occasional cookie is needed. But I’m really ok with just once in awhile.         

Pasta is so fun to play with. It’s a blank canvas. You can really do so much with it, and it never needs to be complicated. Everyone loves it. It feeds large crowds. It stores well in the fridge. It’s versatile, transportable, and can be a side or a main. Ok, shall we?

Ingredient:

A large bag of carrots, peeled and cut into half inch slices on the bias.

A box of short pasta, white or whole grain. I used white orecchiette and it came out beautifully.

Salt, pepper, zhatar, cumin. A half a cup each of tightly packed fresh sage leaves, parsley, and chives. The sage should be julienned into thin slices, the others can be chopped regularly.

Vinaigrette; half a cup each of lemon juice and olive oil, 2 tbsp of tarragon vinegar, half a tsp salt and a quarter pepper.

Directions:

Set oven to 425. Toss sliced carrots in a pan with some salt and pepper, and two tsp cumin and a tbsp of zhatar. Adjust and add more if desired. I like it quite seasoned and flavorful. I don’t measure, I just palm it. So start with this and add. Roast carrots on top rack until slightly shriveled with browning edges. We want them to be caramelized but not too soft. Fork tender. Prepare pasta al dente. Whisk together the vinaigrette. Combine all when ready, and gently mix in the fresh herbs. I like lots of herbs and greenery, so like the spices, def add more if you feel you need it. Trust yourself. The bright orange and green colors here is what makes this dish really pop. Garnish with three whole, fresh sage leaves in the middle. Always garnish with an odd number, it looks more natural that way. Enjoy this. Truly enjoy this. Be proud of what you just accomplished in the kitchen. Be proud of your choices to nourish yourself and those you cook for. Serve with love.