One of the benefits I couldn’t have ever expected when I started down this road of being a creative entrepreneur, is all of the inspiring and incredibly talented individuals I’d meet who are also pursuing their dreams. We so often work for hours a day behind our computers, sending our love out into the world to a silent audience, that when we get a chance to connect it’s invigorating. One of those talented people I’ve been lucky enough to meet is Melanie from The Nomadic Wife. Through The Nomadic Wife she cooks her heart out, creating simple, plant-based meals that utilize seasonal and local ingredients. She also offers meal plans for those of us who are too busy or too overwhelmed to actually make a shopping list each week (am I the only one who writes it on the back of an envelope most of the time!?).

 I currently have kale overtaking my garden at a rate I can’t keep up with, so I’m excited to be able to use some of it in this recipe and make something my kids will like. If your family isn’t into spicy, Mel says you can eliminate the chilli or switch it out with a few red pepper flakes. So, here’s Melanie with the recipe Eggy Aglio Olio, an easy dinner to whip up on a weeknight when the kids are hanging off your legs (because I KNOW you’ve been there!!). Enjoy!!  – Kelly

Dinner time can be a struggle sometimes (read often) when you don’t have a meal plan done. It’s just like any other part of life really, unless you’re one of those fabulously crazy people who can just get by on the seam of their pants.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not one of those people. Never have been. Never will.

So I keep recipes like this aglio olio in my back pocket instead. You know, for those nights where it’s all “insert panic here”. I know we always have pasta in the house ( gluten free pasta that is ) and that we always have garlic & eggs. So, it makes sense to have this eggy pasta dish on those nights where the alternate option is peanut butter toast.

It’s my personal take on a very simple Italian dish which consists of pasta, olive oil & garlic. Hence it’s name. It’s the perfect midnight snack too – but you didn’t hear this from me!

That being said, having a plateful of pasta with no veggies or protein in sight is really something I can’t stand behind. So I’ve tweaked this recipe to balance things out but also to make it richer & keep you from being hungry ten minutes after you eat!

The key to balancing this dish is to add a few cherry tomatoes in each portion. It really brightens everything up and is the difference between a simple hearty dish and something you’ll want to eat every week. So don’t skip the tomato, whatever you do!

Big love,

Melanie

Ingredients

MAKES 4 PORTIONS
1 lb of dry pasta, cooked

5-6 large leaves of chard or kale

20 cherry tomatoes, cut in four

1 chilli, sliced & seeded

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

1/2 head of garlic, minced

1 C sunflower seeds

4 eggs

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

 

Directions

10 MINS PREP + 15 MINS COOKING

Grab a pot large enough to boil your pasta in and set it on high.

The minute it starts to boil, add your pasta and set the timer for the time indicated on the package.

Chop your chards, tomatoes, chili, parsley and garlic.

Divide everything into 4 stacks, one for each serving.

Drain your pasta & place the pot back onto the stove, over medium heat this time.

Add one pile of garlic & veggies to the pot along with some olive oil.

When the garlic becomes fragrant and the greens have wilted ( about 2 minutes ) add one serving of pasta and mix quickly adding a bit more olive oil if neccessary.

Crack an egg right into the pasta and stir until the egg is set.

Serve and repeat for the other portions.

 

Want to see more gorgeous local food and be inspired with easy recipes? Follow Mel on Facebook and Instagram.

 

All photography courtesy of The Nomadic Wife. 

 

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