For all intents and purposes I am a “flexi-tarian.” No, I’m not an acrobat, this is a food column, remember? This is my perfect description, I will indulge in a Filet Mignon in an elegant restaurant or on one of my son in law’s delicious grilled burgers and of course, in Maine, I’ll eat lobster until the red tide announcements! But generally speaking, I just prefer to stay away from a lot of meat. It’s that simple?.?

There are so many delicious and fun recipes available today that don’t include meat! This was not the case when I was younger, now it is easy to find healthy, nutritious, meatless recipes everywhere. Today it’s found in the Advertiser in Claire’s Kitchen! This recipe incorporates pasta, which when made with whole wheat flour, provides iron and calcium. The combinations of pasta and vegetables are endless and topping it off with cheese provides protein. Here is tonight’s meatless dinner, Bon Appetit!

Roasted Mushroom Pappardelle

Ingredients:

3 pounds mixed fresh wild mushrooms (such as cremini, shitake, oyster, even Portobello is fine.)

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

12 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

8 thyme sprigs

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

12 oz. pappardelle pasta (large long noodles)

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley leaves, divided.

1/3 cup loosely packed tarragon leaves, divided

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded.

Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large bowl combine mushrooms, oil, garlic, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake mushrooms for 10 minutes on large sheet pans.

2. Remove mushrooms from oven and turn heat to broil. Broil mushrooms for 5 minutes or until browned.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

4. Remove mushrooms from sheet pans and place in a large bowl. Scrap browned bits from sheet pans into a large frying pan. Add broth and simmer for a few minutes until boiling.

5. Combine mushrooms with pasta in the large bowl

6. Add broth sparingly until the right liquidity is reached (to your liking.) Sprinkle with more spices, stir.

7. Top with a bit of tarragon and finish with Parmesan cheese. Nice hot dish for a cold night!