Meatless Mondays: Week 1; Dinner

I was all set to make this really elaborate Indian lentil dish for dinner. Trying new dishes and new cuisines fascinates me...mainly because I'm a perfectionist and science nerd--figuring out the right combination of ingredients in a dish is a good project for that particular combination of traits.

But life happened and I didn't have the hour I needed to cook the lentils through. So, I improvised:

Margarita Pizza Inspired Pasta (391 calories per serving)
Makes 2 servings.

4 oz. of whole wheat pasta (180 calories per serving)
2 oz. buffalo mozzarella cheese (90 calories per serving)
2 diced, fresh tomatoes (24 calories per serving)
8-10 spears asparagus, chopped (15 calories per serving)
Handful chopped, fresh basil (1 calorie per serving)
Handful chopped, fresh oregano (1 calorie per serving)
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (50 calories per serving)
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese (30 calories per serving)
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

To prepare: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta according to package directions. At the same time, heat a large skillet to medium-high. Add the tomatoes, asparagus, basil and oregano. Let simmer for about 5 minutes to get the juices flowing. Lower heat to medium-low. Add cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir thoroughly to combine. Add red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Once pasta is ready, drain and add to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta. Serve.

Crunching numbers:
Cost for ingredients: $19.80 (number of servings varies by ingredient)
(includes: 1 box pasta, 2 tomatoes, 1 container buffalo mozzarella cheese, 1 tub Parmesan cheese, 1 pint heavy cream, 1 bunch asparagus, bunch basil--I grow oregano in a herb garden so it's free)
Cost per serving: $7.64

A little more costly than, say, a fast food dinner. But way better. Besides, the goal for now is Meatless Monday. Future experiments will focus on cost-efficient organic eating.