Tomorrow is the 56th annual Earth Day and this year the theme is “Our Power, Our Planet.” The theme highlights that people powered action is needed to fight against climate change. Over 1 billion people globally are expected to take part in the activities such as environmental cleanup, tree planting and teach-ins. If you are looking for an event near you, checkout the Earth Day website for information.
Climate change is long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. In the past, these changes were natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, industrialization has been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
I honestly hate having the climate change debate. There is no debate. There’s just convenience and not wanting to have convenience taken away. That’s it. When I had HBear I invested in hemp diapers. It was an argument between me and a few friends, is climate change real? How much money am I saving using cloth diapers? Isn’t running the washing machine worse for the environment than disposable? I have zero regrets using cloth diapers for both my children and nothing makes me happier than scraping my scraps into my Lomi. When I do something for the environment, I’m thinking of my children and my children’s children. I like the way Indigenous tribes here in Canada have the 7 Generation Rule. A practice of thinking about how my decisions today will impact my family, 7 generations in the future. My friends may have been asking me those questions but all I was asking myself was what can I live with? What do I want to leave behind? I know that I usually share quotes at the top of the page, but I have recently began writing down quotes from books that I read that stop me in my tracks. Ones, that make me put down the book and think about the words that I just read. In the book that I read for my Cinco de Mayo post last week, there was a quote that struck me,
“How could one generation look the next in the eye and say: One of the few things I took for granted that I would pass on to you, I have allowed to die?” – Beatriz Cortés, The Murmur of Bees By Sofía Segovia.
I want to preserve as much of this beautiful planet as I can for my children and all of my family to come.
To celebrate Earth Day I read Greenwood by Michael Christie A book from our book club collection 
The book starts from Jake (Jacinda) Greenwood’s POV in the year 2038. Jake works at an expensive and exclusive eco-resort on a small island off the shores of BC. It is one of the last remaining old growth forests in the world after a deadly disease swept the earth over a decade earlier. As it progresses, members of Jake’s family tell the story from their POV. Her father Liam, her grandmother Willow, and her great uncle Everett. To be honest, I didn’t really like the Greenwoods. Willow is a terrible mother and an unfeeling character, Liam loses out on what is important because of his pride, Harris is a man that will burn it all down just to spite his enemies and Everett has issues. There were important side characters to show the empathy of the story like Feeny, Harris’s eyes and Temple, a Saskatchewan farmer in the dust bowl of the 1930’s. All of these characters, likeable or not tell a compelling story that has many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Underlying all of that is capitalist greed. At its core, this is a story about environmentalism and the people who fight for the trees, people that use trees and the people that start out the first way but end up the other. I was satisfied that all my questions were answered but I wasn’t happy with the ending.
We probably eat pasta 1 to 2 times a week. I am always looking for new seasonal pasta recipes, although we do have a few go to’s no matter what the season. In my neck of the woods, spring has sprung. The farmers market opened this weekend and there are fresh vegetables bursting out of the stalls. Well, not quite bursting yet lol but there’s definitely the promise of what is to come. Using what is available to me right now these are a few of our favourite pasta dishes over the last few weeks.
My body has literally been craving vegetables lately. I mean, we eat a lot of vegetables, but as soon as I see sunshine and buds on the trees, I want veggies. This Spring Vegetable Pasta Salad was exactly what I wanted and what I needed. We made a big bowl for lunches and dinner side dishes but it didn’t last long lol. This would be a perfect dish to bring to a potluck! Light, tasty, and super refreshing.
We don’t use pesto very often because pine nuts are extremely expensive. I remember when my Mom used to buy a 1lb bag at Costco and we would make fresh pesto and throw those nuts into anything and everything. Those were the days! This Creamy Alfredo and Pesto Pasta used jarred pesto and I’m not going to complain because it was super easy and very very tasty. This is a very pretty and simple spring dish. Go easy on the pasta water though, I think we added just a splash too much, not that anyone but me said anything lol.
Is there anything that screams spring more than Spring Pasta Primavera? I mean, besides ice cream lol. This pasta was spring in a bowl, and we all devoured it. It was so light and delicious and versatile. You can add whatever veggies you have on hand or that your family prefers. I love peas and think they scream spring, my Kids think that they scream barf, to each their own!
Ninja would have spaghetti every day if I let him. Beef is expensive though and heavy. Plus it feels like we’ve been eating beef all winter and now that it is spring I want dishes that are lighter and full of vegetables and less meat. This Spaghetti Pomodoro hit all the right notes. It was bursting with flavour and was a dish that was super easy to prepare.
I think this dish is the perfect pasta dish for someone that is craving spring, but is living somewhere Mother Nature is not playing as kindly as she is here. While I want fresh herbs, my garden hasn’t quite sprouted yet and fresh herbs are expensive. This One-Pot Herb Cheese Tortellini is the perfect dish if you don’t have fresh herbs, but want to feel like it’s spring outside. Creamy, Herby, and delicious.
Remember when I was talking about pine nuts? OK well, I sent Ninja to the store to get me a handful of pine nuts the other day and the price was staggering. We savoured every single one of these delicious meaty nuts in this Gemelli with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts dish. It was delicious. I love arugula on my pizza and adding it to this tomato sauce pasta was genius. It has a peppery flavour that would be a great green instead of the spinach I would normally use in pasta dishes.
Spring Vegetable Pasta Salad
6
servings10
minutes15
minutesIngredients
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup peas
1lb orecchiette
2 celery stalks, diced
3 green onions, finely sliced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
6 radishes, finely sliced into half moons
- Dressing
¼ cup lemon juice
½ shallot, chopped
2 teaspoon honey
¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Whisk the lemon juice, shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until the dressing is well combined and smooth. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on package, until almost al dente.
In the final minute of cooking, add the green peas to the pot.
Drain and rinse the pasta and peas under cold water to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, peas, peppers, green onions, radishes, tomatoes, and celery.
Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately or chill before serving.
Creamy Alfredo and Pesto Pasta
4
servings5
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup pesto
1lb penne
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4- ½ cup pasta water, if needed
Garnish: Parmesan and basil (fresh preferably but dried if not in season yet)
Directions
Cook the pasta just until al dente, following the instructions on the package. Before draining, reserve about half a cup of the pasta water.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes until they soften. Add the garlic and cook briefly until it becomes fragrant.
Pour in heavy cream and stock, stirring to blend. Add the pesto and stir again until everything is well mixed. Let the sauce gently simmer.
Stir in the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce slightly (adjust to your taste).
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Mix well until the sauce coats the pasta and the cheese has melted smoothly into it. Top with freshly grated parmesan and a sprinkle of basil.
Spring Pasta Primavera
4
servings20
minutes35
minutesIngredients
1 lb pasta (penne, corkscrew, or butterfly)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz asparagus, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
2 cups small broccoli florets
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoon lemon juice, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup basil, chopped
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente.Drain and return to pot.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, bell pepper, and broccoli; sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate.
Return the skillet to heat and melt butter. Add shallot and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, simmering until reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in heavy cream and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Add peas to the pasta pot. Combine cooked vegetables with pasta, then pour lemon cream sauce over and mix until combined.
Stir in parmesan cheese and the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently stir in tomatoes and basil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with extra parmesan.
Spaghetti Pomodoro
4
servings5
minutes40
minutesIngredients
½ lb spaghetti
1 lb grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
8-10 basil, chopped
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup pasta water
Directions
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions for al dente. When done, drain pasta, reserve ¾ cup pasta water and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add olive oil, butter and onions. Cook until onions are tender.
Add minced garlic, tomatoes and salt to the onions. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 25 minutes until tomatoes are very soft. Stir occasionally.
Break up tomatoes. Add hot pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until sauce lightly thickens.
Toss spaghetti into the pomodoro sauce and serve with more fresh grated parmesan cheese.
One-Pot Herb Cheese Tortellini
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
12 oz cheese‑filled tortellini
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red‑pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
Directions
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the dried thyme, oregano, and red‑pepper flakes, stirring for about 30 seconds.
Pour the chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream into the skillet. Increase the heat to medium‑high and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Wait until you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges and then drop the cheese tortellini into the broth.
Stir to separate then cook for 6‑8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the pot and continue to stir, let it simmer an extra minute. Season with salt pepper to taste and garnish fresh basil.
Gemelli with Arugula, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pepperoncino, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 oz can whole tomatoes
3 cups arugula, packed
1 lb gemelli pasta
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons parmesan, garnish
Directions
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pepperoncino, shallot, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the shallot is translucent.
Add the tomatoes, crushing them in your hand as you drop them in. Also add the tomato juice from the can. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If it tastes too acidic, add a pinch of sugar.)
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Cook uncovered until the desired sauce thickness.
In the meantime, cook the pasta according to package directions.
Add the arugula to your colander and strain the pasta over the arugula.
Add the pasta and arugula into the sauce and mix well. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and parmesan.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #454 Posterity.This week we get together after my birthday, out on the back deck.
Thank you to My Slices of Life, Grandma’s House DIY, Fiesta Friday for featuring my April: 7 Meal Plan post at their Talking About it Tuesday, To Grandma’s House We Go! Link Party, and Fiesta Friday Link Party last week.
It was a busy birthday week! SBean performed at the Kiwanis Festival and they did so great! I got spoiled by my WREBesty and my family, I had coffee with my Mommies, had a wonderful dinner at Shaughnessy’s Cove with the family, ate homemade cherry cheesecake, & then topped it off with fabulous presents like Bryan Adams tickets, a set of candle tools, a GC for a new candle at Kelowna Candles, special bath salts, chocolates and some money to shop for myself, because I never do lol. I also won 3rd place in the Maggie Grad Raffle and took home $750! This weekend we relaxed and podcasted, HBear TRIED teaching me a TikTok dance, lol, and I made her a new batch of granola!
1 thought on “Earth Day & Spring Pasta”
All your recipes look so incredible! I just love pasta.