Eat In. Pasta with green vegetables.

I had a delicious pasta dish (Tagliatelle alla Primavera) on Saturday at Gemma in NYC. By Tuesday night, I was trying (and pretty successfully at that) to recreate it in my own kitchen.

Ingredients: Barilla fettuccine, one small squash, half a bunch of asparagus, one clove of fresh garlic, Colavita extra virgin olive oil, butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Cook pasta according to package instructions (usually about 11 minutes in boiling water). I put a few chunks of butter in the bottom of a large bowl, to toss the pasta with when it finished cooking and was drained.

I cut off the bottoms of the asparagus, then chopped the stalks into about 2-inch sections. With the squash, I cut the ends off, but waited until it was parboiled to slice it into disks.

After the vegetables had cooked (in a saucepan of boiling water) for just a few minutes to slightly tenderize, I drained them and put them in a pan to sauté with the olive oil and chopped garlic. I didn't really time it, but probably something like 5-10 minutes, until they looked cooked, added a little Parmesan, salt, and pepper while the veggies were still in the pan, then added that whole mix atop the lightly buttered pasta, and tossed.

A great thing about this dish is you can use whatever green vegetables you like--peas, broccoli, artichoke, etc.

This version served two, but could easily be altered for any number of people.

If you like the sound of this dish, check out my (also vegetarian) version of Pane e Vino's Fusilli con Melanzane e Scamorza here.

Buon Appetito!

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credits: the BEAT

Advance Notice. Alicia Silverstone signing The Kind Diet.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my discovery of Alicia Silverstone's website/online community, The Kind Life, an extension of her book, The Kind Diet.

In March, she'll be at the Grove for an author event (which typically means discussion and signing) in celebration of the book coming out in paperback. It's now available for pre-order through Barnes & Noble for just $12.27 (a bargain compared to the $21.99 list price - not to mention the $29.99 hardcover).

I think I'll bring along my Clueless special "Whatever!" edition DVD to see if she'll sign that too (I was in 5th grade when the film came out and thought Cher was the just the coolest).

March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Info: barnesandnoble.com, (323) 525-0270

189 The Grove Drive, Suite K 30 in Los Angeles (3rd and Fairfax)

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: barnesandnoble.com

Check It. The Kind Life.

I've been semi-interested in this book by Alicia Silverstone since its fall 2009 release. Since I'm not vegetarian, let alone vegan, I've never actually made the purchase, but after discovering her blog, thekindlife.com, I'm impressed and more interested in taking a second look at the book.

Having even just one vegan meal each day would certainly be a healthy way to start the new year. The site also has a whole section just on Los Angeles (including where to find Alicia's favorite veggie burger).

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: associatedcontent.com

Do It. Meatless Mondays.

Started by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to encourage a more high-fiber lifestyle and lower global emissions, the Meatless Mondays movement has become insanely popular. The movement has a regular spot on the Huffington Post, Paul McCartney is all over it, Mario Batali is implementing it in his kitchen, and restaurants around the world are trying to go vegetarian once a week.

On the Meatless Mondays site you can find all kinds of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacking, including over 30 breakfast options that include the apricot pistachio baked yogurt and the southwestern breakfast tortilla.

It can be really hard for some people to go all-out veg, but one day a week is a really tangible solution so give it a shot! It's just one day.

-- Lauren Williams