Better Eat Your Greens!

Penne with Lots of Delicious Veggies and Goat Cheese

It's no secret that I love pasta. In all the world of starches, I can't think of anything to cover with sauces or toss with veggies. I was in the mood for something fast and a bit on the lighter side after spending the previous evening gorging myself with movie theatre popcorn, Milk Duds, and nachos (yep, even the most dedicated foodies have their weaknesses). This was super simple to whip up and it's full of crisp asparagus and fresh herbs. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
- 1 lb. penne pasta
- 7 oz. goat cheese
- 4 oz. diced pancetta
- 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
- 6 green onions, ends trimmed off and sliced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 c. frozen peas, thawed
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions (about 9 minutes). Drain, reserving 1 c. pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile in a large skillet cook pancetta over medium heat until almost crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Leave drippings in pan and add olive oil, green onions, and asparagus. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until asparagus starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice, garlic, and peas, cooking over medium for an additional 2 minutes so that garlic becomes sweet and fragrant. Stir in fresh herbs until warmed through, remove from heat. Season mixture with salt and pepper.

Toss warm pasta in a large bowl with goat cheese and stir until goat cheese is melted and equally distributed. Add asparagus mixture and additional pasta water if it is too dry. Toss in pancetta. Season with additional salt and pepper. Eat! It's that easy. Dinner in less than 15 minutes. Really.