Farfalle with Zucchini, Mint, and Almonds

This is a lovely summer pasta dish. Although I do not grow my own vegetables (I've killed pretty much everything I've tried growing, except for rosemary and oregano), I know that many people who have gardens tend to have an abundance of zucchini and mint, and this would be a great way to use some of it up.
I served it with a simple tomato salad (sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, minced fresh garlic, coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil). This salad would also be wonderful with it.

Farfalle with Zucchini, Mint, and Almonds

Vegan Italiano, Donna Klein

2 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint or basil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup blanched almonds
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked according to package directions until al dente, drained

Place the zucchini in a medium saucepan with salted water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.

Place the mint, oil, almonds, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the knife blade; process until smooth. Add about three-fourths of the drained zucchini and process until pureed but still slightly chunky.

Place the hot cooked pasta in a large bowl and add the zucchini puree and remaining zucchini; toss well to thoroughly combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

5 to 6 main-dish servings, or 8 pasta-course servings

Per serving: 490 Calories, 14g protein, 16g Total Fat, 2g Sat. Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 72g Carbohydrate, 4g Dietary Fiber, 388mg Sodium

Marinara Sauce

Next week I am going to be making a few things that use marinara sauce, so today I threw together this super-simple recipe. I portioned it into zip-top bags to put in the freezer until I need to use it.

Marinara Sauce

Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 2 quarts (8 cups)