RECIPE | ROSE PRIMAVERA PASTA

A creamy tomato pasta sauce combined with fresh vegetables and bow tie pasta. Very simple to make and it's quite filling too. What makes this sauce is the light cream cheese combined with good quality marinara sauce. In fact, good quality marinara sauce is the key to making this dish taste delicious. I always use marinara sauce by Victoria Fine Foods because it's so sweet and rich in tomato flavour. Click here for more information on their product. I hope you also enjoy this pasta as much as I do and try it without adding meat. You will find that you will enjoy the veggies much more as they pair so well with the sauce.

Note: I am not sponsored by any of the brands listed in this post. These products are listed because I believe in their quality as well as the company behind them.

SERVES 3-4 | PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOK TIME 15 MINS

• 4 cups of Bow tie Pasta
• 1 Broccoli Crown, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1/2 Red Onion, large diced
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper, diced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, sliced
• Small handful of Fresh Basil Leaves, roughly chopped
• 3 cups of Marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup of Light Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup of Reserved Hot Pasta Water
• 1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare your ingredients as listed above.
2. After you've prepared your vegetables, begin boiling the bow tie pasta according to package instructions and subtract 1 minute as you will cook the pasta in the sauce too. Save 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water for later.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot set on medium heat, add the olive oil in. Next add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the chopped bell peppers and fry for another 2 minutes. Lastly add the broccoli florets and chopped stems, mix well and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the broccoli to steam for another 4-5 minutes until they become a vibrant green colour.
4. Next pour in the marinara sauce, followed by the cream cheese and reserved pasta water. With a fork or utensil, break down the cream cheese until there are no lumps and mix everything together until well combined. The sauce should look like a smooth rose colour.
5. Bring your sauce to a boil, cover with a lid and once it reaches a boil turn off the heat. Pour in the cooked pasta along with chopped basil leaves. Mix the sauce until pasta is well coated. Remove from the stove.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste if you'd like.

Serve with more fresh basil and enjoy!