Hudson Valley-based cookbook author Julia Turshen has a new book—and it’s exactly what home cooks have been craving during the pandemic.
Simple Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food, released by Harper Wave on March 2, features 10 chapters of unfussy, approachable recipes, including vegan one-pot meals, soups and stews,easy salad dressings and sauces, make-ahead mains, favorite breakfasts, and more.
“We all define healthy food and comfort food in our own individual ways,” says Turshen. “Now, more than ever, having food be as source of comfort and thoughtfulness makes me feel safe and secure. That’s worth a lot.”
Check out a simple, weeknight-ready recipe for spaghetti with creamy, spinach-kale-basil sauce from the book below.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound [453 g] whole wheat spaghetti (or whatever type of pasta you’d like)
5 ounces [141 g] fresh baby spinach
6 large leaves fresh kale (any type), tough stems discarded, torn into large pieces
1 large handful fresh basil leaves (about 12 large leaves)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup [50 g] crumbled feta cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons cream cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method
Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously.
Add the spaghetti to the pot and cook according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, place the spinach, kale, basil, garlic, feta cheese, cream cheese, and olive oil in a blender and add 1 cup [240 ml] of the boiling salted water from the pasta pot. Puree until smooth and season to taste with salt (it might need quite a bit depending on how salty your water is—don’t be shy!).
Drain the spaghetti in a colander and then return it to the now-empty pot.
Add the green sauce and stir well to combine. Serve immediately with extra crumbled feta cheese on top.
