This is a simple and very easy to make vegetarian lunch, or dinner.  Especially, when you are in a hurry. It can be made in less than half an hour, and fits the bill for a quick bite of lunch,  during one of our very busy days here at home.  You could use any number of vegetables for this dish, so don’t let a lack of a particular vegetable stop you from making this dish.

Mediterranean-style Rice Pasta

• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces
• 6 stalks of baby broccoli, stems cut into small pieces
• 7 sprigs of thyme, cut into smaller pieces
• 1 large heirloom tomato, cut into small pieces
• About 15 small cherry, or heirloom tomatoes
• A couple of handfuls of spinach
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Himalaya salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• Seaweed Gomasio Seasoning, optional
• 1 packet of Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Spaghetti Pasta

Prepare the pasta following the directions on the package.

Add the pasta to the already boiling water, and stir it frequently while it is cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking together. This pasta turns out really nice, but, once cooked, be sure to rinse it with lots of water to remove the starchy residue. Set aside. This holds true not just for the spaghetti, but all the other rice pasta alternatives. (I am sure that some of you have given up on this particular gluten free pasta, because it leaves such a starchy residue in the cooking water.)

In a large frying pan, or wok, heat the coconut oil and add the chopped onions and garlic. Turn down the heat slightly to prevent any excess browning. The onions and garlic should be translucent and golden in color. Add the zucchini, cherry tomatoes,  and broccoli. Drizzle with some olive oil and let cook, turning frequently, for a couple of minutes. Then add the spinach, tomato and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Incorporate all the ingredients well and add a little more olive oil. Let cook for another couple of minutes. The vegetables need to stay fresh, and not overcooked.

Then add the prepared and well rinsed pasta to the vegetables, mixing all the ingredients well. Again, cook for another couple of minutes to let the pasta be infused with the wonderful flavors of the vegetables.

Enjoy this simple Mediterranean-inspired meal for lunch, or dinner.

What is your favorite gluten free pasta?

If you are exploring raw food options, another great way to serve this same dish is to use kelp noodles (prepared according to package directions),  served with the same vegetables, but fresh and raw.  Seaweed Gomasio seasoning  ingredients: sesame seeds, sea salt, kombu, dulse and nori) makes a great addition to either version of this meal.