Yellow, Green, Purple...So Pretty!

We ate all of the quinoa and nearly all of the soup for lunch today. Those leftovers did not last very long. I had an allergy scratch test this morning and found out I am allergic to almost every tree and weed in existence, a single random mold, cats, cockroaches, and dust mites. Super. I then spent the rest of the day watching podcasts, so I wasn't in the mood for too much cooking. Just something quick and easy that I could eat while I researched the treatment of cholesystitis.

We had some great yellow summer squash and green chayote from the CSA this week, so I decided on a simple squash pasta. Squash is probably my favorite vegetable--zucchini, summer squash, petit pan (aka "flying saucer squash"), you name it, I love it. It is so versatile and scrumptious. Who doesn't like fried zucchini? I have yet to meet a single person. It makes any soup much heartier, any stew more colorful, and any pasta more yummy. I also threw in some sliced i'itoi onions that gave a nice purple color and also some pine nuts for crunch. The basis of this dish is a simple garlic butter pasta, but it just shows you can add almost anything and make it much more interesting.

Squash Pasta

• 1 lb pasta
• 1/3 c. pine nuts
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 chayote squash, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 i'itoi onions, sliced (or any type of onion, about 1/2 c. chopped)
• 1/3 c. parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Boil water and cook the pasta, While the pasta cooks, add the pine nuts to a pan on medium heat and toast for a few minutes. Set aside. Add the oil to the pan and sautee the squash until soft. Set aside. Melt the butter in the pan and sautee the garlic and onions until softened. Remove from heat and stir in the pasta, squash, pine nuts, and cheese. Serve immediately with extra cheese sprinkled on top.