The original recipe did not call for cherry tomatoes, but they make a great addition (if you can manage not to eat them all beforehand…). This dish takes about 20 minutes to make and serves about six people, which makes it a great weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 bundle of broccoli florets, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound of penne pasta
• 3-4 cups of spinach
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan
• Olive oil, for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring about 3 quarts of salted water to a boil.
2. Once boiling, add penne pasta and boil on high for four minutes. Then add the broccoli florets, cover, and cook for three minutes.
3. After three minutes, turn off heat and drain pasta in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and stir in spinach.
4. Sprinkle lemon zest over pasta. Let sit for a couple of minutes to allow spinach to wilt.
5. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
6. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
7. Turn off heat and add 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Add the lemon butter to the pasta and stir.
8. Stir in 1-cup fresh Parmesan cheese. Drizzle olive oil over the pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Garnish with more cheese, fresh lemon wedges.