Goat Cheese Pasta with Broccoli, Red Pepper and Sliced Almonds

It's Meatless Monday! I know some folks that do this weekly and several full-time vegetarians too, but cooking vegetarian is more of a “sometimes thing" for me, and not always on Monday, because I like to mix it up (I'm such a rebel like that). Now some might assume going meatless means going tasteless (that would be the short-lived Tasteless Tuesday fad that never caught on) but that is not the case, my friends. As a matter of fact, this dish is a great example of how going meatless can set off an explosion of flavor in your mouth (no family members were harmed in the making or eating of this dish, promise). Just boil up some pasta, make a quick sauce from broccoli, red pepper, goat cheese (amen) and vegetable broth and toss in some toasted sliced almonds for garnish. Boom! Even the carnivores will be happy, and if they're not…well, they can make their own peanut butter sandwich, which ironically does not contain meat either. I love it when I get to win in the kitchen.

Goat Cheese Pasta with Broccoli, Red Pepper and Sliced Almonds (adapted from therecipecritic.com)

1 lb. short pasta (I used rotini but penne or rigatoni would work too)
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. broccoli crowns, cut into bite sized pieces (about 4 c.)
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 c. vegetable broth (chicken broth works too. Well, it doesn't work if you're a vegetarian but you know what I mean.)
2 T. unsalted butter
8 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 c. of pasta cooking water, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the broccoli and red pepper and saute until tender but not overcooked, about 7-10 minutes. When the vegetables are tender add the broth and allow it to reduce by about half. Add the butter and goat cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce into the drained pasta along with some of the reserved pasta water and sliced almonds, adding more pasta water until the sauce is the consistency you prefer. Stir to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

6 servings (485 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com