I have been a mother for 20 years now, and from the onset of this journey I have been on the search to figure out how to make my children eat their vegetables AND ENJOY THEM.

I’ve hid them in pastry items, blended them in frozen drinks, bribed them with candy and ice cream. Not my finest moment.

I’ll spare you the hairy details, but honestly the secret is more simple than I could have ever imagined.

Don’t hide them. Don’t cook them. Just sort of throw them on top of whatever they are eating.

Hear me out.

Give them a bowl, add a bit of carbs (rice or noodles)

Add some chicken, beef or pork.

Pile on the cool, raw & crispy vegetables on top. Where they are visible. I’m not even kidding.

Give them some dressing. And it quite literally becomes their most favorite meal ever. Every morsel gone, just like magic.

• – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Sometimes I get fancy and make them have whichever dressing I find best goes with the flavors.

Stupid, stupid girl. I should just save the best accroutements for myself and let them have the Ranch by the gallons. Why should I care? Posh dining be damned.

I’ve done my duty, they’ve eaten a carrot.

Rotissiere Chicken Rice Bowl, with Carrot, Cucumber, Sweet Pepper and Red Onion

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Cooked Rice
• 1/2 cup Rotissiere Chicken cut into small pieces
• Handful slice raw cabbage
• 1 mini bell pepper, sliced
• 3-4 baby carrots sliced
• 1/2 mini cucumber, sliced
• sliced Red Onion
• Dressing! A few favorites to try. . . .Teriyaki Sauce (sweet), Fish Sauce Dressing (sweet, spicy, tangy), Soy Sauce Dressing, and Balsamic Dressing (tangy)*

Directions:

1. I’m going to start and end this list of directions with 1, because it’s that simple. Into a medium size bowl, layer the following in this order. Rice on bottom, followed by chicken, cabbage, sweet pepper, carrot, cucumber, and red onion. Drizzle with your favorite dressing.

My fave dressing? How can I choose? But I almost always have Fish, Soy Sauce, and some type of vinagrette on this bowl:) Try it TODAY! I know you’ll love it.

Society Garlic!

100% yes, and it will THRIVE.

Characteristics and History.

This Jack of All Trades Plant is noted by the University of Florida as native to the rocky grasslands of South Africa, but not actually being in the same genus as garlic and onions. Possibly being named Society Garlic, because it has all the flavor and smell of garlic, without making your breadth smell hellacious:)

Society Garlic ( Tulbaghia Violacea ) is a regal looking plant, plump with emerald grassy leaves and tall stalks of 12-24 inches that spike out of mounds to produce showy clusters of lavender star-shaped flowers. Perfect to add depth and height to the edges of a small container water garden or to the edges of a larger backyard pond.

This perennial plant will thrive in FULL SUN, not requiring much attention, and will continue to flower spring through fall, giving your water garden (or landscape) color, texture, while offering plenty to pollinators and to your dinner table, as it is an edible. It even thrives in part shade, though admittedly, flowering much less.

The plant, as its name suggests, smells of garlic when brushed up against, so do take this into account when planting.

In The Water Garden.

Currently, I have a 25 gallon container water garden with 5 common goldfish. My container pond is usually populated by aquatic water lettuce that I forage in public areas near my 9B community. You can check it out here. . .

But, it’s just the start of spring and we’ve had a long winter with a very recent winter storm that has knocked out a large amount of vegetation in this area. My pond is barren, and my fish are sad for the loss of the plant playground.

Luckily, the local garden nurseries are ramping up inventory and Society Garlic is one of the first plants to fill the shelves, as it is a favorite around Houston gardens and landscapes. Prized for its beauty, ability to tolerate high heat, drought conditions AND tropical bog like conditions, as well as deter snakes, moles, all while offering culinary delight to those who love the flavor and smell of garlic.

Planting Society Garlic In Your Water Garden.

This plant can be planted into your Container Water Garden very economically with items that you already have on hand at your house ,no special soil needed. In fact, I REMOVED the soil from the garden center pot.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Society Garlic (I used two 4 inch pots for my container water garden that I purchased for $3.99 a piece)
• Nursery pot that the plant was purchased in
• 1 small package of fish tank gravel or small pebbles, rinsed and cleaned
• Medium sized Binder Clips

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Once you get your new plant home from the nursery, remove the pot and rinse the soil off with a gentle spray of water. If you purchased a healthy plant, as it is a vigorous grower, it is likely a tightly coiled bunch of tuberous white roots. Once the outer soil has been rinsed, try gently prying open the inner parts of the root bundle to release some of the soil that has been lodged in between. It’s not imperative to remove ALL of the soil, just the majority of it. This helps to prevent your pond/container water from getting murky/cloudy from the potting soil.
2. After the majority of the soil has been removed, place it back into the nursery container, insuring that all the roots fit into the pot. As a personal preference, I enjoy pots for my container pond that have holes at the bottom large enough for the roots to find their way out into the openness of the “pond” once they begin to grow. My fish love swimming, hiding, and playing through the web of roots in their water habitat.
3. Using gravel or small pebbles that have been rinsed and cleaned free of dirt and/or chemicals, place on the top of your pot to completely cover the remaining exposed roots.
4. Your Society Garlic is now ready for “planting”. Using the binder clips, attach to the side of your container pond. The crown of the plant, the part where the plant stem and roots meet, can be as much as 1 inch below the surface of the water.

Fertilizing My Aquatic Garden.

In my container pond, I rely on sunshine and the natural mini biosphere that I have created with the fish and plants to feed my plants. I understand that there are numerous products (including aquatic soil and tablets that dissolve) that can aid in feeding your plants, but after owning my container garden for over 2 years now, they seem to be happy to fend for themselves. This allows me to enjoy the beauty that it adds to my back patio experience with very minimal effort and cost!

Society Garlic Maintenance.

When the leaves turn yellow or brown, as is the natural course of a plants life, clip off the yellow leaves to the base. If you find that your plants are happily growing and bursting from the seems, you can divide the plants to make more!

Simply remove the plant from its pot, split the roots in half, making 2 seperate clumps of plants. Cut off half the foliage to help reduce the shock, and replant in new containers. Place back into water using above directions, and watch how how plants spring back to life and continue growing. You can also use this technique, and alternatively plant them into your landscape using soil. Water them thoroughly, and watch as the enjoy their new home.

Winter Care.

Society Garlic is perennial that lives in zones 7-11. It can tolerate moderate frosts and light freezes. You may choose to remove it from your water garden in winter and relocate to a warm indoor area until freezing temperatures are no longer.

In my 9B Houston Garden, this past winter we had a week long freeze with high temperatures in the low twenties and upper teens, very unusual for this area. However, once the temperatures lifted, I cut down all the foliage and the plants came back to life within a few weeks.

Want the live action video Society Garlic going into my water garden? Here you go!

And for a look at what my little garden looked like 10 years ago, check out this blog post, with tips from my Momma on how to grow a garden.

OMG! DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN MAKE A SMOOTHIE AT 6 AM AND THEN PUT IT IN A STAINLESS STEEL THERMOS AND IT WILL STAY FROZEN UNTIL YOU EAT IT AT NOON???

DID YOU???? DO YOU????

YES, I KNOW I’M YELLING AT YOU! THIS IS A YELLING AT YOU TYPE OF SITUATION!!!

I’m not going to even tell you anything else. NO funny story. No side note. Just this.

YOU CAN MAKE A FREAKING SMOOTHIE AT 6 AM and eat it at 3PM. . .and it will still be frozen.

GO tell somebody.

Want to see me do it? It’s like magic. Check out the live action version in my YouTube video below, or keep scrolling for the recipe in black and white.

Orange Vanilla Smoothie

Imperative to your smoothie staying in a frozen like state, you’ve got to add the ice and the bananas need to be frozen. You want a really thick mixture to pour into your thermos, and then you are TOTALLY GOLDEN.

Ingredients:
3 cups Orange Juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 TB Agave Syrup (more or less to taste)
3 Cups Ice
2 bananas, frozen

Directions:
1. In the order listed, place all the ingredients into the blender. Cover. Blend on low, and then on high until the smoothie is blended fully.
2. Pour into stainless steel thermos to drink later, or pour into a tall glass to consume now! Enjoy!

I sent this smoothie with my kids to school and my husband to work, coupled with the most delicious CALIFORNIA BLT, (pictured below) you should try it too:)

You know why this is called California, right?

Because it’s gorgeous, it has the hippest veg ever (AVOCADO), and it’s so UBER healthy, yet totally delicious, that my Cali girl (my 20 year old is a USC kid ) will claim it everyday of the week. Which I ALMOST FIND INSULTING. . .since a Texas BLT Wrap has other things that come to mind. . .but I’ll try not to get my panties in a bunch.

The most important thing to remember here is I live in Texas, and can still eat this deliciousness, because well. . .AMERICA.

And the second most important thing to remember is. . .that I must. . .YOU MUST. . .WE ALL MUST remember when making a sandwich of any type is . . .DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT JOKER IS NOT SOGGY.

STEAL YOUR NEIGHBORS DOG? Only if it’s necessary.

But I’m telling you, I’ve barely skirted having my head on the guillotine for this very infraction. It wasn’t fun, and I don’t plan on reliving that PAIN again.

THE KEY:

Wet ingredients should go into the center of the sandwich, and be sealed in on both sides by some sort of water permeable ingredient . . .i.e. lettuce leaves, lunch meat, even cheese slices will do the trick! Just make sure those wet pickles, tomatoes, and whatever other juicy bits you have included aren’t touching you bread or tortilla!

For the live action video of this Cali BLT, check out MY YOUTUBE video below, or keep scrolling if you just want the recipe in black and white:)

CALIFORNIA BLT with Avocado and Turkey Deli Meat

Ingredients:

• Large Burrito Tortilla
• Mayonaise
• Cheddar Cheese Slices
• Green Leaf Lettuce (whole leaves are best, it better acts as a moisture barrier)
• Sliced Tomatoes (seeds removed)
• Sliced Avocado
• Sliced Pickles
• Ranch Salad Dressing
• Sliced Turkey Deli Meat
• Pre-cooked Bacon Slices

Directions:

1. Lay your tortilla onto a flat surface. Slather with mayo, about 1 Tablespoon. Layer, in this order. . . first cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, pickles, ranch dressing, turkey deli meat, and bacon.
2. Take the two shorter ends of the tortilla and fold upward, and then inward like a burrito. Once the two shorter ends are folded in, fold over the longer side onto the shorter, and roll to enclose all the ingredients.
3. If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap to enjoy later!

I served this with a delicious Orange Vanilla Smoothie!

For the first time in the history of FOREVER, the Woo children have told me. .. . . . I gave them too much to eat for lunch.

THEY WERE STUFFED.

A feat none too easy to accomplish.

And by A VEGETARIAN PASTA DISH, no less.

These noodles, rich and THICK with a creamy Tahini sauce, climbs to the top of the comfort food favorites list for sure. What I wasn’t expecting is, how incredibly filling they are. Usually when I’m eating noodles I just eat until I’m in a coma like state, and wake up to find that I’ve eaten a full pound.

If that’s you (no judgement here), this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for.

I really think the decadence allows you to savor every. single. bite. And in doing that, your brain enjoys each satisfying morsel, and kindly notifies you promptly, that you have had your fill, and that you can come back and eat more later.

That’s an AMAZING meal in my book.

Try it. I really think you’ll like it!

Want to see the LIVE ACTION version? Check out my YouTUBE video below OR if you just want the recipe in black and white. . .keep scrolling a little bit further.

Vegetarian Tahini Sweet, Tangy, and Little Spicy Saucy Noodles

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta
• 5 cups water
• 2 TB olive oil
• 2 TB sesame oil
• 3/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 5 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 1 bouillon cube
• 3 stalks garlic chives, chopped
• Handful cilantro, chopped
• 7 ounces Cole Slaw, no sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 6 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp Chili Paste
• 3/4 cup Tahini
• 5 TB Agave Syrup

Directions:

1. Into a large pot add 5 cups of water, and bring to a boil on medium high heat.
2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, add uncooked pasta, olive oil, sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, Soy Sauce, 5 cloves of garlic (chopped), red pepper flakes, ground ginger, 1 bouillon cube, chili paste and chives. Stir well.
3. While the pasta continues to cook, add carrots and cole slaw, and stir to incorporate. After a duration of ten minutes, stir again, turn off heat and cover for an additional 10 minutes to allow the liquid to fully absorb into the pasta.
4. Meanwhile, make the Tahini Sauce. Into a Small/medium size mixing bowl add tahini, sweetener (agave), and chili paste. Drizzle half of the sauce mixture over the noodles, and stir to coat. Add the remaining sauce, and repeat! Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped chives and cilantro! Enjoy!

You might also like these One Pot Pasta Dinners too! One Pot Margherita Pasta and Lemon Spinach-Ricotta Pasta .

I confess. This smoothie doesn’t take 5 minutes to make. I only wrote 5 minutes because it sounded catchier, plus I don’t think people search Google for Smoothies that take 53 seconds to come together.

I should have named it. . .53 Second Simple Strawberry Smoothie, but I’m prone to fibbing.

It all started when I was eight and bit a hole in my shirt because I didn’t want to wear it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Hindsight is 20/20.

But surely, this is a good idea. Right? Right?

Well, spank me if you must. But only if it’s a love pat. Like we’re playing basketball together or something, and I just made both of my free throws. Sheesh. Get your mind out of the gutter:/

Want to see me make this smoothie and that glorious sammie pictured below in LIVE ACTION? Watch my Youtube video HERE, or keep scrolling for the recipe in black and white!

And now you want that beautiful sandwich recipe too. Of course you do! Check out my 10 minute Buttered Baguette Frenchie Sammie with Peppered Turkey, Hard Salami and Provolone HERE.

5 Minute Simple Strawberry Smoothie

This frosty treat is so very BERRY and DELICIOUS. It reminds me of those whole fruit popsicles that taste like the sweetest most perfect fruit picked straight off the vine. No cream or other additives needed. I made this smoothie for my 11 year old who loves fruit to the core. But she loves it simple. Never wanting me to add anything like cream or granola, that would mask the simplicity and genuis of its natural state. Try it. I know you’ll love it.

One more thing! I send these to school and work for my families lunches. Made a little bit thicker than what you might make if you were to consume it immediately, poured into a Take Away Thermos, the smoothie will keep and be frosty and thick for lunch time and even after!

Ingredients:

Makes 4-6 Servings

• 3 cups Almond Milk
• 2 cups Ice
• 2 cups frozen strawberries (you don’t have to used frozen strawberries, but it won’t be quite as frosty. When I’m sending smoothies to school/work, I want it as cold and frosty as possible so it remains thick and frozen when my family consumes them.)
• 1 cup Strawberry Jam*
• water, cranberry juice – to thin, if needed

1. Into a blender, add Almond Milk.
2. Next add remaining ingredients, ice, strawberries, and jam. Blend. Taste for thickness and sweetness. If you’d like it sweeter add more jam, and if you’d like it thinner add water/juice 1 TB or 2 at a time until you reach the consistency that you’d like. Pour into thermos to enjoy later, or into a glass to enjoy immediately!

*I like this Low Sugar Jam for myself, but used the regular sugar version for my kids.

Unfortunately, I first saw this beauty in Clear Lake, TX. . .not Paris, France like I’m sure your assuming.

And while Clear Lake is no Paris, it is also called Space City and we have Astronauts, so it’s OUT OF THIS WORLD too.

And if you play your cards right, you can totally pack a picnic lunch, find a spot on the Space Center lawn and eat your buttered Baguette Sandwich (pronounced SAND-WEECH like all proper fancy people) with peppered turkey, provolone, and hard salami, and know that you are just as ostentacious as any classy Parisian.

Just don’t wear your beiret.

That might be weird.

WANT TO SEE ME MAKING THIS SAMMIE AND SMOOTHIE LICKETY SPLIT? Watch my YOUTUBE video here. . .or mosey on down for the recipe in black and white. . .

10 Minute French Sub Sandwich! Buttered Baguette w/ Salami Peppered Turkey, Provolone and Fresh Spinach

If ever I had a super power, the ability to make a KILLER sandwich, would be it. This IS DEFINITELY one of my finest, and it comes together quite simply. The only condiment used is butter, and honestly no more is needed. Peppered Turkey is not a must, but adds a subtle surprise to the mellow and salty flavors that abound. Try it out. You’ll be wearing a beret faster than a Cowboy can saddle his horse. Which isn’t really that fast, because you really want to make sure you saddle your horse properly, or you’ll fall off.

Ingredients:

• 1 Baguette
• Butter
• Hard Salami
• Peppered Turkey Deli Meat, sliced thinly
• Provolone Cheese Slices
• Fresh Spinach Leaves, ootional

1. Slice baguette in half, lengthwise.
2. Generously butter both inner sides.
3. Begin by layering cheese over the buttered bottom half of the baguette. Top with salami, folded in half. On top of the salami, make a layer of turkey meat , folded in ribbons. Top with a handful of spinach, if using.
4. Cut into manageable single serve baguette sandwiches. Wrap for later, or serve immediately. These sandwiches keep well in the fridge for days!

Interested in that beautiful Strawberry Smoothie you see pictured? Find my Simply Strawberry Smoothie Recipe HERE!

The first time I had Teriyaki chicken, I was 9 or 10 years old and living in Hawaii. My family hadn’t been living on the island long, and we had been trying out all the new tastes and treats of our new paradise home. My mom received a frozen box of Teriyaki patties from somewhere, and so she cooked it up for dinner.

When she pulled that pattie out of that box, broiled it up. . .WE WERE ALL HOOKED. The saltiness mixed with the sweet. . .and how it carmalized when she cooked it. It was Salsbury Steak on STEROIDS. I think we had those patties every night for 3 months straight. And. . .every member of my family, loved every night of it.

It was divine.

Sometimes we think we need to be master chefs to have a nice meal. Or that everything needs to be cooked from scratch. But what makes a perfect meal is the love that you put into it (filling it with flavors that you dream about) not the time spent, or the help you got by using grocery store convenience items.

This humble meal seems quite opulent when plated, but is quite demure in it’s preparation. Such a winner for it’s ease and lack of effort, and a keeper because it comforts the soul and fills the belly.

It’s a step up from my humble teriyaki patty beginnings, but just as easy and delightful to make.

Teriyaki Chicken and Coconut-Lemon Cilantro Rice Bowl

For the Teriyaki Chicken:

Ingredients:

• Frozen Chicken Tenderloins
• Cooking Spray
• Season All, or your favorite seasoning
• Teriyaki Marinade (I used store brand , nothing fancy)
• Your fave Barbecue Sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s ), optional

For the Cilantro-Lemon Coconut Rice

• *3 Cups rice (I like medium grain)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• I bunch cilantro, chopped finely
• 2 TB lemon juice
• Salt, to taste (about 1/3 tsp)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. In a shallow oven safe pan, place your frozen chicken tenderloins (I used aluminum foil to cover the pan for easy clean up). Spray both sides of the chicken with cooking oil, and then season lightly with Season All, or your favorite seasoning.
3. Drizzle to coat Teriyaki marinade onto the tenderloins. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes.
4. During the last 8 minutes of chicken cooking time, remove the tenderloins from the oven, and drizzle lightly with barbecue sauce. Place back in oven for remainder of time.
5. While the chicken is cooking, make the rice. Rinse rice according to package directions. Add to Rice Cooker and pour in 1 can of coconut milk. Add 2 cups of water, and 1/3 tsp of salt. Stir. Close lid and turn on rice cooker and cook until done.
6. Once the rice has completed cooking, add the chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Add 1 TB at a time, to your liking. You may want a subtle tang, or you may like little bit more punch like me. Add more salt, if desired. Serve with Teriyaki Chicken! Enjoy!

*I almost always use a Medium Grain rice. I do this because it has a softer texture, and it doesn’t turn hard once refrigerated. Just a personal choice, but It makes for a wonderful quality in a rice, especially if serving in lunches or in salads.

**I’ve been making this rice since 2010. I love it so much. Check out my 2010 Basmati Rice version, it has more subtle flavors.

Are you ever so hungry that you feel as if you can’t eat?

I mean, of course you CAN eat, but you’re exhausted with hunger and it might be JUST TOO much to open your mouth and chomp up and down. Intellectually, you’re thinking you’d like something with vegetables, but OPPOSINGLY, you just might stab someone if they hand you a salad. And it’s true, weariness has overcome your languid spirit, but you’d still murder them slowly if they came within shouting distance with an asparagus spear.

Well friend. You’ve come to the right place.

I understand.

This right here, is the thing that you make, when you feel as if all hope is gone. When you need a vegetable, but a starch is more aptly in order. When your jaws can’t take the ever tiring turmoil a raw vegetable or anything cooked for less than 5 minutes will bring.

When all you want is junk food, but your inner voices are telling you, YOU DESERVE MORE.

And you do.

A simple but satisfying personal pizza that can be cooked up in less than 10 minutes. Assembled in even less. With all that you want or don’t, and then cooked . . .NEH roasted and toasted so that every morsel that lingers on your tongue and grazes your teeth, allows you to greedily partake, never the while remembering, you. are. beyond. too. tired. to. eat.

Want to see the live action version? Check out my Youtube version here:

White Pizza with Garlic, Spinach and Chicken

Ingredients:

• Flatbread or Pocketless pita bread (I used Low Carb Tortilla for mine, and the rest of the family pocketless pita bread!)
• Garlic, diced
• Jar of Alfredo Sauce
• Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Pre cooked frozen grilled or roasted chicken, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Onto your flatbread, rub approximately 1/4 tsp of diced garlic all over your pizza crust.
3. Next, spread about 1 TB of Alfredo Sauce onto your crust.
4. Take a nice handful of spinach, and sprinkle it evenly over the sauce.
5. Cover with a generous portion of cheese.
6. Top with a handful of chicken.
7. Bake in the over for 9 1/2 minutes or until crust begins to turn golden brown, and the toppings are cooked and the cheese is melted! Let cool 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Got a loaf of French Bread lying around? Try this Delicious French bread Pizza!

I am not opposed to a long simmering meal. In fact, I long for it often, with the wafting smells of garlic and onions perfuming the air, while a faint crackle of bubbling chicken skin can be heard in the whispers of the kitchen. I do not prescribe to the notion that all meals need to been done quickly, eaten while standing up, and made only in one pot as to hastily clean up the kitchen so we can move onto the next activity.

But.

I do recognize, that there is in fact a time for all of these things. And a necessary obligation to keep these requirements in our back pockets that can be pulled out at a moments notice. Like Monday-Friday, Lunchtime meals, or just whenever hell has loosely broken out.

This my friends, is just the sort of thing that you can have in your arsenal of good wholesome recipes to be relied upon with only 15 minutes notice. As long as you have pasta in the pantry, lemon juice in the freezer all the other ingredients can be improvised. Any type of green will work fine, or even, none at all. Also, ricotta may not be a staple at your home, but other soft cheeses can be used in a pinch (ie. cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc.).

It’s really just the sort of recipe meant to grant you peace and respite. Nothing to garner any sort of worry. Just pull it together, greedily pile it into a bowl, find your comfiest spot on the couch, and eat it without a worry in the world.

You deserve this meal.

Feed yourself.

Want to see the live action version? Check out my Youtube video here. . .

Lemon-Spinach Ricotta Pasta

In as long as it takes you to boil your pasta, you can be having a full-on meal, plated and ready to go!

Ingredients:

16 oz. Dried Pasta
32 oz. Whole Milk Ricotta
8 0z bag Fresh Spinach
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 TB Olive Oil
6 TB Lemon Juice
2 tsp Garlic
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook Pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, mix together in a medium sized bowl, ricotta, parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
3. In the last one minute of pasta cooking time, add the spinach mixing it around with the pasta and cooking pasta.
4. Pour out pasta water, reserving 1 cup, in case you would like to thin the sauce mixture at the end of preparation.
5. Add the ricotta mixture to your noodle spinach blend. Mix well and plate. Garnish with a little extra parmesan, because well. . .a little extra cheese never hurt anybody:) Enjoy!

Looking for more 15 minute Pasta Ideas? Check out my post on Margherita Pasta.