Pasta for One

Ok, I'll admit it. Sometimes it's hard to be a vegan. There, I finally said it. You happy now?

It's especially challenging on the nights that Ashley gets pizza delivered. I get to sit and watch as she devours all that garlicky, cheesy goodness. Followed by baked cinnamon sticks dipped in frosting. Yum. Vegan pizza from Pizza Pi is always a great option to calm my jealousy, but sometimes you just don't want to leave the house. And so, you make this.

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes. There is no marinara, no white sauce, just olive oil - and lots of it. It can be ready in under 20 minutes, is super easy to make, and I always seem to have the ingredients handy. Perfect.

The olive oil, garlic, and blend of Italian seasonings are what make this dish amazing. The other ingredients are optional - so you can add or change whatever you like.  Mushrooms, other greens, and/or cannellini beans also go well in this.  This is a perfect pasta to customize to your own tastes.

Serves 1 (and sometimes, that's all you need)

Olive oil
1 Tbsp Italian seasonings
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful of kalamata olives, sliced
1 roma tomato, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
handful of artichoke hearts
handful of arugula
1/2 cup uncooked pasta (I used brown rice pasta)
salt and pepper to taste

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Wait about a minute then add the onion slices and turn the heat to low-medium. Make sure that all the onions are covered in oil and add more if needed. Turn the onions every 5 minutes or so. If they start to stick to the pan, add more oil. Add your Italian seasoning after about 15 minutes. The onions should caramelize in about 20-25 minutes. Just before they are done, add your minced garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions. When it is finished, run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Once the onions and garlic are ready, add your pasta into the pan. Add a good glug of olive oil (that's what makes this so good) and throw in any extras - like artichoke hearts and black olives. Let the pasta heat up and mix with the other ingredients. At the last second add in your tomatoes and arugula. Throw on a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste.