Lemony Vegetable Linguine

Mark (my husband) loves himself some pasta. It could be the Italian in him. Or it could just be that pasta is one of the greatest culinary inventions ever. I’m constantly trying to come up with new pasta recipes to satisfy his pasta lovin’. This one turned out especially good, so I’ve decided to share.

If you are a meat eater and want some protein in this meal, you can easily sauté some chicken breasts with lemon juice and zest, slice, and add to the vegetable topping.

Makes enough for 2-4

1 package brown rice linguine, cooked al dente (My favorite is Tinkyada brand, vegan organic brown rice linguine. I literally cannot distinguish between this and regular pasta.)

3-4 tomatoes (depending on size)

6 portobello mushrooms, cleaned out of the gills & stems, and sliced (the smaller, stuffing kind)

2 lemons, juice of 1 zest of 2

1 can great northern or cannelloni beans

large handful basil, chopped

To top

fresh sprigs of basil, to garnish

freshly grated lemon zest

freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano, or mozzarella daiya (vegan) to top

Put a large pot of generously salted water on to boil, with a drizzle of olive oil.

Chop up all tomatoes into wedges. Set aside. De-stem portobellos, clean out gills, and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside. Chop basil. 

Put a large frying pan on stove and set stove to medium-high. Add a nub of coconut oil to pan, and sauté portobellos until tender.

Add pasta to boiling water now, and cook until al dente (so it will be finished cooking & warm when the vegetables are done). Drain pasta and add back to large pot. Toss with olive oil and salt. Leave lid on pan.

While pasta is cooking, add tomatoes to frying pan and sauté until softened. Add beans, basil, lemon zest & juice. Gently sauté until basil is wilted.

Serve pasta. Top with vegetables, lemon zest, freshly grated cheese, and a sprig of basil. Enjoy!