Hello Healthy

Hello, hello! I've come up for air and a little blogging. Photos and a little run down of recent wedding-related adventures still to come. Tonight, we experimented with a recipe from Vegan Yum Yum but then put butter on our toast and it was no longer vegan. Not that I actively try to cook vegan, but sometimes it's good to eat as many vegetables as possible and I get tired of salads. But that's another story.

Quick and Healthy Weeknight Meal a la Vegan Yum Yum: Asparagus, Grape Tomato and Butter Bean Udon

1 package of Udon noodles (in the Asian section of the grocery)
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed (if they're from South America, please use something else, ok?)
1 or 1.5 cups quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup of frozen butter ( baby lima) beans
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
Italian seasoning (or just oregano, thyme, basil and rosemary)

Cook the udon in a pot of salted water (about 6 minutes), strain in a collander and toss with oil so it won't stick.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 tbsps of oil in a cast iron skillet over med heat and toss in half the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes and cook until the spears are bright green and barely soft. Transfer to a prep bowl, repeat with 2nd half.

Without washing the skillet, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, then add the beans until they're fully thawed and warm. Transfer to the prep bowl with the aparagus.

Add a little more oil to the skillet and add the Udon noodles back in. Coat with the oil and seasonings left in the skillet, season with Italian herbs. Add the veggies back in. Plate and serve with a little balsamic vinegar sprinkled on top.

Serves 2 with leftovers.

In other non-related news: Chopper may have caught a live squirrel on Sunday. We are flying to Bozeman, Montana on Friday. This is a heart pine drop leaf side table (1 of 2) that my aunt Susie has given us as a wedding present and I love it. We are getting married in 5 weeks. Holy smoke!