Recipe: Summertime Pasta for Mindfulness

Pasta for Mindfulness?? Oh Yes. This pasta was so delicious there was no possible way I could have eaten it while doing something else; it demanded every piece of my senses to fully absorb its beauty. I'm notexaggerating. I sat eating this bowl of pasta in complete bliss. 

This recipe has all the summertime ingredients our bodies deeply appreciate: asparagus, cilantro, fennel, coconut, cheese and a bit of olive oil. Enjoy!

Ayurvedic note: Combining milk (even coconut milk) and salt produces skin problems regardless of one's constitution. This recipe does not have, nor need, salt except in the pasta water that is then rinsed away.

Serves 1 large portion. 

*as this recipe was created by me, Kate, the amounts are only approximations. Please feel free to use your own judgment. Ayurveda advocates cooking with all our senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. 

dried angel hair pasta for one 

4 spears of asparagus, hard ends snapped off and cut into 1 inch pieces

cubed paneer cheese (enough to cover the palm of your hand, or 2 in off the paneer block)

--> paneer is commonly found in indian grocery stores, and now sometimes Whole Foods

1 T olive oil

1/8 t coriander 

1/8 t fennel seeds

for sauce:

1 T chopped onion

1 T fresh cilantro

1 t fresh parsley

1/4 t fennel seeds

1/4 c coconut milk

Bring a medium size pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta. Remove and drain & rinse pasta once cooked (4 minutes or so), set aside. 

In a pan over medium heat, saute paneer in olive oil with coriander and fennel seeds. Once paneer starts to brown, add asparagus and continue to saute just until asparagus grows a bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl. Keep the pan handy.

In a small mixer/blender add all ingredients listed in 'for sauce' above. Blend well then put sauce in previously used pan and reduce over low heat, 3-4 minutes. Once sauce starts to cling to the sides of the pan, combine the pasta and sauce with the asparagus/paneer mixture in the large mixing bowl. Once well tossed, enjoy! This recipe tastes fantastic at room temperature, so there's no need to hurry to the table. 

• Vata: very good! Optional to add a little garlic to sauce as well. Serve warm. 
• Pitta: excellent! Keep onion to 1 T, not adding more. Keep parsley amount significantly less than cilantro. 
• Kapha: ok: serve vegetables with small portion of white basmati rice instead of pasta. Substitute 2 t goats milk cheese + water for coconut milk. Can increase onion, option to add garlic to sauce.