FRESH FROM FLORIDA: Florida Vegetable Pasta, Easy To Make and the Family Will Love It

By  //  March 5, 2018

EASY FAST FUN RECIPES IN UNDER 15 MINUTES

ABOVE VIDEO: Today’s recipe is a delicious Florida Vegetable Salad. This is easy to make and the family will love it.

FRESH FROM FLORIDA – Florida farmers make it easy for everyone to eat fresh produce year-round. Due to the milder climate in the Sunshine State, fruits and vegetables grown in Florida are generally available earlier than those produced in other states.

In fact, most of Florida’s produce is available between October and June.

This allows you to enjoy fresh Florida tomatoes, oranges, bell peppers, strawberries, snap beans and squash during the winter months, and fresh Florida blueberries, sweet corn, and watermelon in late spring.

Seafood and shellfish caught in Florida’s waters are available year-round.

So enjoy the bounty that Florida has to offer – and for delicious dishes, check out our “Fresh From Florida” recipes created by Chef Justin Timineri, Florida’s culinary ambassador.

Today’s recipe is a delicious Florida Vegetable Salad. This is easy to make and the family will love it.

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Today’s recipe is a delicious Florida Vegetable Salad. This is easy to make and the family will love it.

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 4 large Florida tomatoes, diced small
  • 1 Florida zucchini, diced small
  • 2 Florida yellow squash, diced small
  • 1 dozen Florida mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 12 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta (or your favorite)
  • 1 cup heavy cream5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, or your favorite), chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

  1. Bring a medium-sized stockpot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to desired tenderness.
  2. Drain pasta and run room-temperature water over it to cool it off.
  3. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to preheated sauté pan.
  5. Add diced zucchini, squash, mushrooms and garlic to the preheated pan and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Add the diced tomato, lemon juice and cream.
  7. Bring ingredients to a boil; add spinach and cooked pasta. Stir ingredients and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  8. Stir in the chopped herbs.
  9. Serve hot, garnished with lots of Parmesan cheese.
  10. Serve with herbed garlic bread.

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