Pasta with sugar snap peas + herbs (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian)

Here you make a pasta sauce by reserving and flavoring some of the pasta-cooking water (inspired by foodnetwork.com).

Ingredients

• extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, or coconut oil
• onion, diced
• mushrooms, sliced
• jalapeño chile, minced
• salt
• sugar snap peas, strings removed and chopped
• brown rice pasta or other gluten-free pasta
• garlic cloves, minced
• Swiss chard, center ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced
• fresh parsley and dried herbs, such as thyme, fennel seed, or herbes de Provence
• pepper
• vinegar or lemon juice (optional)

 Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, chile, and salt. Cook until softened. Add sugar snap peas and continue cooking.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 to 2 cups of pasta-cooking water. Set aside.
3. Add garlic and chard to the pan and cook for a minute or two. Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl; reserve the pan. Toss pasta with vegetables in the serving bowl.
4. Heat reserved pasta-cooking water in the pan. Add oil or ghee and reduce the liquid. Add herbs and cook for another minute or two. Pour sauce over pasta and vegetables. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar if using.