School’s back in session and we are all scrambling to handle things… ALL the things. We often sacrifice eating well for convenience in times like these, when what we really need is good food to fuel us through our busiest times. So, let me get right to the point. I make this dish pretty often. It’s cheap, it’s easy and I can feel good about feeding it to my kiddos. I add a TON of vegetables, along with the pasta you are left with a completely satisfying meal.

You will need the following:

• Veggies! For this round, I used 1/2 an onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 bunch asparagus, 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash and 2 tomatoes. Chop and dice them ahead.
• 1 pound of pasta. Any you have on hand will do. This time I used Conchiglie pasta, a shell variety.
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil and Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to packaging instructions.
2. While your pasta is cooking, begin to saute your vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Start with the onion and bell pepper, as they will take the longest. Once the onion is transparent, add the asparagus and cook for about a minute. Next add the tomatoes, zucchini and squash. 
3. Add s&p to taste along with about a tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning. I used this Rustic Tuscan seasoning by Olde Thompson, (Thanks Amy!) and cook until tender. 
4. Drain your pasta and add to the vegetables. Toss well with the cheese and serve immediately.

Don’t let time or money be an excuse to sacrifice good food. This dish was less than fifteen bucks and was enough to feed the four of us twice! Start the school year off right and get the energy you need from the amazing food you put into your faces! Swearing Mom out.