Whenever I cook, I do it by taste, my mood, what I have  and experience; a little of this and a little of that. But for people who are learning to cook, that does not work so well. That is why people are always searching for recipes online. They do not want to omit any important ingredient or not sure how much to add. With time this is something that most will be able to do based on their food preferences and experience. But until then, I will continue to post recipes to share.

I always select organic, grass fed, lean and colorful food. Let’s face it, if it does not look good, who wants to eat it? Besides, my plates are already white, so I do not need white food. And if you purchase natural, organic food it will have beautiful colors that make it more appealing to eat. If you have children that hate to eat vegetables, as most children do, get them to help you to prepare the meal. No knives needed-have them tear the parsley, cilantro or lettuce, mix the food or add some ingredients. Children that help you shop for food, help prepare the food will eat the food. So instead of having them play some video game, get them in the kitchen with you. Then go for a nice walk or run with them afterwards.

I understand that most people say, “Who can afford organic food, it’s so expensive and is it really worth the cost ?” Well, yes it is, another time for that conversation, but you can now find more organic food selections in most grocery stores. If you live near a “Trader Joe’s” they actually have many organic foods that are affordable. Here, in NYC, they are all over the city.

The pasta I used for this recipe came from there and it is organic and made with vegetables. The ground beef also came from Trader Joe’s, actually, every ingredient I used I purchased there. And the cost was less than non-organic from my other local store.

Now, I understand that not everyone has a Trader Joe’s nearby or can get organic where they live without spending an arm and leg. But I say, purchase the freshest ingredients you can and also visit your farmers market. Eating fresh food is a thousand times better than any canned, boxed or frozen food. The sodium in those products are a slow killer. So let us face it, we all want to live a long and healthy life, so start now in eating healthy foods.And as always, enjoy!

Organic Vegetable Pasta with Grass Fed Ground Beef, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Grape Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients: Serves 2

• 1 cup dry vegetable radiatore pasta (or any 2” pasta with ridges)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
• ½ pound organic, grass fed, ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 clove fresh garlic, smashed
• 6 grape tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped plus some for garnish
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved

Preparation:

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 9 minutes, drain and reserve 1/8 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium skillet heat the olive oil until hot. Add the mushrooms and ground beef. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Cook for about 6 minutes, mixing through so the meat is cooked evenly. Add in the tomatoes and cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked, about 3 additional minutes. By this time the pasta will be ready. Drain the pasta but save about 1/8 cup of the liquid.

Into the meat mixture, add the pasta and the pasta water. Cook for 1 minute. Add in the parmesan cheese and the basil and parsley. Stir to incorporate and blend in the cheese. Serve with a garnish of parsley.