My garden is a constant source of happiness for me. I can find something to do every time I go out….from picking maple-seed “helicopters” out of the beds to weeding the strays that have cropped up in between the plants. Now that spring has come full circle, the garden is producing enough for us to supplement each meal with a little bit of fresh produce. Most nights I clip a few bok choy leaves or spinach thinnings to add our dish that night. Pasta with veggies is one of my favorite meals. When the kids are eating pizza or something else that doesn’t appeal to me, I usually throw together some garden goodness with whatever is in the cabinet. Tonight, this was the creation.

It had been a few days since I harvested anything so there was a lot to choose from. I grabbed broccoli raab, spinach, chard, and some bok choy. I soaked everything to get most of the sediment off the leaves, then gave everything a final rinse. Meanwhile, the noodles were cooked and drained. Didn’t think you needed photos of that, didja?

Next, I cut up some bacon and started to cook it. Bacon just adds such a yummy savory flavor to pasta! Then I tossed in the greens and let them wilt in the bacon.

I mixed in the noodles and voila! A meal for the gods in under 10 minutes.

Normally I would shred some Parmesan cheese on top, but we ran out the day before. Darn, I should have told you that I was trying to cut calories. Either way, it was still delicious without the cheese.  I eat variations of this dish all summer long.  Sometimes I eat it with steamed artichoke.  Other times I toss in a shallot or two.  It’s also great with chopped sauteed onions if you have one on hand.

What’s your favorite fresh-veggie meal in the spring or summertime?