Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Penne with Kale, Roasted Tomatoes and Brie


In case my last raw, vegan recipe featuring kelp noodles had you concerned I'd completely gone off the deep end, let me calm your fears with this gooey, cheesy bowl of pasta.

Were you aware that cheese is my favorite food? Anyone who has read more than a couple posts has surely heard of my cheese obsession. Honestly, if there were no health consequences, I could easily and happily subside on cheese. I love it that much.

Brie and other creamy, rinded cheeses are my absolute favorite. I have zero self control when it comes to a wedge of brie. In college, two of my sorority sisters hosted a wine and cheese party at their apartment and served baked brie. I thought I was being inconspicuous, picking a spot right next to it and sneaking extra bites when no one was looking. But at the end of the party, when there was just a little sliver left, my friend turned to me and said, "ummm, you can take that home with you if you want." Busted.



I have no regrets. There is zero sense in depriving yourself of the things you love. Not only does it set you up for a binge, but more importantly, your life will be just a little less joyful. In our efforts to lose weight or be healthy, people often overlook the importance of finding pleasure in the eating experience. Eating and savoring delicious food is one of the great gifts in our short life. Many of my clients are afraid to eat favorite foods out of fear of losing control. Certainly, that happens. But when you mindfully eat foods you love, you will feel satisfied and content, and likely find it needs a smaller amount of food to reach that level of satisfaction.


What works for me personally is to include my favorite foods in a planned, balanced way, like in this vegetable and whole grain packed pasta dish featuring a small amount of brie. The cheese adds just the right amount of luxury to what's essentially pasta and vegetables. To keep myself from overdoing it, I cooked just enough pasta to make dinner and a leftover lunch for Scott and I and purchased only the amount of cheese that I needed.

P.S. How gorgeous is that painted pasta bowl? Gift from my little brother who lives in Italy. I love it!

Do you avoid foods you truly love? How do you include favorite foods in a balanced way?


Penne with Kale, Roasted Tomatoes and Brie

Serves 4
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

The bitter kale and juicy tomatoes cut the rich cheese sauce perfectly, while hazelnuts enhance the nutty undertones in the brie. Still, feel free to substitute other types of greens, like beet greens (as the recipe originally calls for) or even spinach. I love the idea of using a soft cheese to create a creamy sauce - much easier than going through the work of creating a bechamel sauce. You could also use other types of soft, creamy cheese, like goat cheese.

1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons plus 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb 100% whole grain penne
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (a la Godfather)
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
5 ounces brie, rind removed, sliced
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cherry tomatoes with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven about 10 minutes, until tender, browned in spots and about to burst.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve about 3/4 cup of the salted pasta water in a glass measuring cup, then drain the pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, rimmed pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the kale in handfuls. If the pan gets full of kale, wait for it to wilt a bit before adding more. If needed, add a quarter cup of water to the pan to help it steam. Mine didn't need it since the kale was still wet from washing it. Cook about 6-10 minutes, stirring every so often, until wilted, but with a bite. Add in the tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook another couple of minutes until about half the tomatoes have burst and released their juices. Add the cooked pasta and sliced brie and toss to combine. Pour in the reserved cooking water, a little bit at a time, while tossing pasta constantly to melt the cheese. I used a scant 1/2 cup to get a creamy, not too thin consistency.

Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and garnish with toasted hazelnuts.


12 comments:

  1. I never avoid foods I love, I just pay attention to the frequency and portions when I eat them :) I want to try this with some sun-dried tomatoes I bought the other day, looks delicious!

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    1. Ohh yeah I bet this would be awesome with sun dried tomatoes!

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  2. love that you included hazelnuts. so different and a fun way to change things up in the kitchen!

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    1. Possibly my favorite nut! I use them all the time. Thanks for the comment!

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  3. Bring me some over for my birthday? This looks so delicious :)

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    1. Of course! We'll have a pasta party (my kind of birthday party!) Happy birthday!

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  4. AH brie! I love this recipe. Baked brie must be sent directly from heaven! Have you tried the turkey cranberry brie sandwich from Earth Fare? Amazing,

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    1. YES! I had it ages ago and you just reminded me how amazing it was! Brie and cranberries are soul mates...

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  5. Love the addition of Brie to this yummy pasta dish! Love what you say about mindful eating as a way to include favorite foods in balanced portions :-) Nice brother too!!!

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    1. Thanks!! Yes, I think I'll finally forgive him for showing all his friends my underwear in fourth grade...

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  6. I'm totally with you, never avoid the foods I love! Eating no cheese is just as unbalanced as eating all the cheese.

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