Linguine with Caramelized Onions, Spinach and Brussels Sprouts

There is something about reading a GOOD book and having to think and analyze certain points or even a simple quote in the book. I am currently on my way to finishing John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and this morning I was once again awed by the beauty of his writing. The First book I read of Steinbeck was Of Mice and Men, while it was five or six years ago I can still remember certain quotes in the book and still find myself awed at his writing. While I was writing this morning I was embraced by this beautiful quote which I think a lot of us forget sometimes, the fact that we always have a choice; the notion of free choice over evil, a symbolic of optimism that is central to the human condition that we overlook by rendering ourselves as being powerless or lacking a choice.

“But the Hebrew word, the word timshel ‘thou mayest – that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open …….I have no bent toward gods. But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed – because ‘thou mayest.”’

This quote made my morning and probably my day; we always have a choice regardless of where you are in life you always have a choice, the choice to do evil or to do good. As Hannah Arendt once wrote no one is completely powerless, which is another central aspect of the human condition, we are never powerless regardless of how powerless or out of control we sometimes feel. 

Getting off that Steinbeck cloud I had a chance today after work to make this quick pasta recipe that only took 45 minutes. This is a simple and quick recipe that anyone can make, the ingredients are simple and health, above all you can either make it vegan or not given the simplicity and flexibility of the recipe 

Ingredients: 

• 8 oz fresh Linguine
• 2 handful of baby Spinach
• 2 cups of Brussels Sprouts 
• 1/2 cup parmasean cheese + additional for serving
• 2 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 tbs olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon of rosemary 
• salt and pepper 
• Red wine 

Direction: 

1. In a large pot add water, oil and salt. Bring it to boil, add pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. 20-25 minutes. 
2. In a skillet over medium hear warm 1 tbs olive oil, addd onions, and garlic powder, let it cook for 20 minutes. Stir onion evert now and then for, add little of red wine and water. Let it cook until blonde in colour. Set it aside. 
3. In another skillet over medium heat add 1 tbs olive oil, add Brussels Sprouts season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic powder. Let it cook for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. Once done set it aside. 
4. In another skillet, add olive oil, when hot add baby spinach, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sauté spinach until wilted, about 6 minutes. 
5.  Add the cooked past, Caramelized onion and Brussels Sprout with the baby spinach. Add parmesan cheese until cheese is melted ad the sauce coats the pasta and spinach 

Serve with either white or red wine