Whole wheat fusilli tossed with roasted vegetables and fresh tomatoes

I wanted some summer pasta and since grilling isn't an option right now, I turned to roasting.  I let the pasta sit for a bit to cool down and we ate it room temperature.  It makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 Roma tomatoes
• Half package of whole wheat fusilli
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 large zucchini
• 12 cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 of a red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup of wine (I used white Zinfindel, but any white would work)
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• some olive oil for drizzling 
• salt, pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Parmesan or Asiago cheese to serve with

Start by washing the vegetables.  Chop the zucchini and pepper in even sized chucks so they cook evenly.  I chopped mine in about 1 inch pieces.  Slice the onion in about quarter inch slices.  Add these vegetables to a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt, pepper and the garlic powder.  Toss with your hands.  Roast them in an oven heated to 400 for 15-20 mins.  Check every 5 minutes and toss with a spatula so they don't burn.

While they cook, boil the pasta water and add the pasta.  Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Also chop the tomatoes.

For the mushrooms, heat a large skillet (Large enough to toss the pasta in also) to medium heat and drizzle with olive oil.  Quarter the mushrooms and add them to the pan.  Allow them to brown before adding salt and pepper.  This take about 7 minutes.  Then add the vegetable stock, wine and garlic and simmer.  Add the cooked pasta, spinach and roasted vegetables and toss.

Serve in a bowl and top with cheese and chopped tomatoes!

I am back for now...

Sorry for the delay in recipe postings, life got busy.  We moved and my creativity has returned!  So the first thing I cooked in our new apartment was Sunday breakfast, banana walnut whole wheat pancakes.  They are so hearty and the walnuts toast as they cook in the pancake, so good.

For 2 servings you will need:

• 1/2 cup of whole wheat pancake mix (I used Whole Foods brand) 
• 1 Egg white
• 2 mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk (You may need a little more or less to get desired thickness)
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1 Tbsp butter (To coat the pan with)

Mix all ingredients, excluding the butter, together in a bowl.  Preheat a medium sized pan on medium heat with 1 tsp of butter.  When the butter is bubbling a bit, add scoops of pancake batter to the pan.  I did 4 at a time but  since you can make them as big as you want, it will differ.  When the edges begin to bubble and look dry it is time to flip them.  They cook about 2 minutes per side.

We ate the pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup.