Lemon-Olive One Pot Pasta

This is my favorite go-to meal whenever I am feeling a bit off, have had trouble eating that day, or just don't feel much like eating anything else: I can always eat this simple pasta dish.

The ingredients are few, and as with many of my other recipes you can switch out some ingredients if you don't care for them, or just want a little variety. I make this most often with mushrooms and Cerignola olives (the big green kind), but you can substite artichokes or white asparagus for the mushrooms if you wish. Seasonings are simple: cracked pepper, a little garlic salt, lemon juice, and Vegan Topping, if soy is not a problem for you.

I'm calling it a "one pot" pasta because you can cook all the ingredients in the pot you boiled the pasta in. Really, you need just a pot and a colander.

I'm going to leave the serving size and quantities up to you on this one -- I just measure it by eye.


Lemon-Olive One Pot Pasta

Ingredients:

rice vermicelli (I use the Medium size of a Chinese brand called "Guilin Vermicelli Just As Fresh One" - no kidding, it's a great name!)

Cerignola or other flavorful green olives

fresh white mushrooms (may substitute artichoke hearts or chopped white asparagus)

extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

Vegan Topping (optional)

garlic salt (optional)

cracked pepper (optional)


Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, cut the olive flesh from the pits and slice the mushrooms.

After the pasta is done, leave it to one side and gently saute the olives and mushrooms in olive oil in the pot you cooked the pasta in.

When the olives and mushrooms have softened, add the pasta back to the pot, adding lemon juice to taste and olive oil to coat. (If you don't add enough oil, the pasta will burn.) Add Vegan Topping, if using, and adjust liquids as needed - the Vegan Topping will cause the lemon juice to thicken noticeably.

Add cracked pepper and a dash of garlic salt to taste. Serve hot.