"Scents" of Accomplishment

One of the many things that I love about cooking is the sense of accomplishment you can get from combining random ingredients and making a fantastic meal. Cooking allows for creativity, and when ingredients are scarce or recipes don’t exist, you can unleash your cooking skills and create something that not only pleasures your palate but also your sense of ingenuity and adventure.

Last week, on a whim, I decided to stop at the food store to buy some things so that I could make myself something for dinner. There was no strategy involved, no recipe to follow, just the vague notion of what I felt like eating. I wanted a meal that was healthy, full of veggies, satisfying and somewhat simple to make. I walked around the food store, primarily sticking to the produce section, and ended up purchasing tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms. That was it. With only three ingredients and my home pantry ingredients it was time to get the creative juices flowing.

Here is my recipe for all of you to enjoy. It may seem simple and somewhat novice to the eye, but in actuality the success of the meal was mainly due to the skills and techniques I have learned over the years from watching hours upon hours of The Food Network. So, please enjoy this meal so that you too can feel your own “scents” of accomplishment!

2 Roma Tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1 Green Pepper (chopped)
1 Medium Onion (thinly sliced)
¼ Cup of Baby Portobello Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
½ Cup of Whole Wheat Pasta of your choice
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Canola Oil
2 Teaspoons Parmesan Cheese
Non-stick Cooking Spray
Salt, Pepper
Pasta Water (about 4 Tablespoons)

In pot of boiling, salted water cook pasta as directed on package. Once pasta is cooked drain most of the pasta water, reserving some to help create a sauce.
Next, coat a sauté pan with non-stick cooking spray and canola oil. Once oil is warm, add onions and mushrooms. Salt and pepper. Sauté together for 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and mushrooms begin to shrink in size. Then add pepper. Let pepper sauté with onions and mushrooms for an additional 5 minutes. Then add garlic power and red pepper flakes. Lastly add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Once all veggies are cooked, add cooked pasta and pasta water to sauté pan. Let this cook and combine for about a minute. Then add the parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to desired taste and enjoy!