Radical Recipes/ What to Eat Instead of Macaroni and Cheese

One of the challenges of changing one's eating habits is finding replacements for the old stand bys. On any given day, I would naturally reach for Kraft mac and cheese. Its easy, its always there, its comforting and filling, etc., etc.

Here is something I found to replace it. Pasta alla checca. Its so easy- its actually easier than macaroni. For 6 bucks, you can feed 4, or have leftovers to nibble on for days. And it takes about 10 minutes to make.

Here is what you will need-

4 tomatoes
olive oil
garlic
fresh basil
cappellini pasta (or angel hair)- best to use a non-wheat pasta but that is your preference

All of that stuff you can pick up at your local farmer's market (except the pasta), which is the whole point of this lifestyle change for me. Although- I have to admit I love Trader Joe's frozen chopped garlic cubes so I don't have to deal with chopping the garlic and having stinky fingers.

First, put the oil in a pan- I use a big ol' wok. Add the garlic and put on medium heat. If you are going to use a whole box of pasta, then use about 3/4 cup of oil, and lots of garlic. (With the Trader Joe's garlic cubes, I use 5). Then put the water on to boil for pasta

While that is simmering, cut up the tomatoes and put them in the oil. Let all that simmer and chop up basil. Toss that in with the tomatoes and oil.

When the water is boiling, put in the pasta. Because its so thin, it will only take 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and throw it into the pan with the oil and tomatoes and basil, like so-

Mix it all up together to make sure all the pasta is coated. Add parmesan cheese if that's your thing and serve it up.


I love making this because it looks so fancy- truly, it looks and tastes like something you would order at some boutique-y little Italian place- because it is. I always ordered this at Vitello's for $15 a plate. The total cost for making this dish- which will easily feed 4- $6.

The best news of all- if you buy from your local farmer's market, you are supporting local farmers. You are not supporting produce that is flown in from other countries- which requires resources like fuel for the plane, the trucks, etc. Plus produce from other countries is picked before its actually ripe so it can make the long trip, and when it isn't vine ripened then it loses flavor and nutrients. And above all you know it contains no GMOs. No Monsanto crap has tainted this food- its pure. You saw to that. Good for you! This is revolutionary eating! Especially for those of us who are learning.


                  OCCUPY YOURSELF!!!