Tuscan Herb Pasta. Hold the Pasta?

Fresh flavor is always a key to making great food.  Simple and fresh every time.  When I get an idea in creating a dish I stop and think what fresh, local flavors I can get to put into it.  I do suggest, if you do not have a farm stand or a local farm market, purchase as much fresh produce from your local grocery store.    Food DOES taste better if prepared from scratch.

This recipe has a great rustic flavor with a nice twist.  Instead of using pasta I created some vegetable pasta with zucchini and summer squash.  A perfect change up that is healthier, tastes amazing, feeds you/your family awesome vegetables, and is truly easy to make.  To create the zucchini and summer squash into the size of pasta, use a mandolin with the Julienne Blade.  This is a great tool to make uniform cuts and save time. 

Some people, okay...the older ladies as church or on the street or at my kids school or or or... anyway, they ask why I use lemon juice or vinegar in so many of my recipes?  Well, it helps cut down on the amount of salt I use in a recipe while adding some incredible Zing to the food.  The acid in vinegar and lemon juice help pull out the flavors in the food they interact with.  So, that means if you taste something and you think you need even more salt, add some acidity to the dish.  Add a little before each taste to see if that fixes the issue.  Alright, enjoy the recipe!

Chicken
1 lb chicken breasts
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB Maple Syrup

Directions:
Heat grill, add salt, pepper, and rosemary over chicken breasts.  Mix in a small bowl the soy and maple syrup.  Place chicken on grill, coat bottom of chicken with soy sauce maple glaze.  After you flip the chicken, top that side with rest of maple glaze.  Keep cooking until it reaches 165 degrees.  Let rest for 5 minutes, slice thin.

Tuscan "Pasta"
2 cloves garlic sliced thin
1 Green onion sliced thin (white and green parts)
1/4 cup sliced thin sun dried tomatoes
4 asparagus spears sliced thin on an angle
1 zucchini sliced thin on a mandoline
1 summer squash sliced thin on a mandoline
1 TB olive oil
2 TB basil sliced thin (chiffonade or ribbons)
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 TB Epicurean Tuscan Herb Butter
1/2 tsp each of Salt and Pepper

Directions:  Heat olive oil at medium high heat in a saute pan with a lid.  Add garlic and green onion.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add asparagus and sun dried tomatoes.  Stir and cook for 4 minutes.  Add Zucchini and Summer Squash "pasta" and stir for 1 minute.  Add stock and cover for 4 minutes.  Remove lid, add lemon juice, salt, pepper and basil.  Mix, add butter and mix throughly.  Serve with Parmesan or Asiago cheese.