Saying thanks with spring greens spaghetti

My wonderful dad just spent the best part of two long weekends building me a beautiful planter box for my courtyard. My response was to cook him this quick but gorgeous pasta dish. I’m normally a zoodles (zucchini noodles) or spaghetti squash kinda girl – both are great healthy options that would also work really well – but I chose to use good ol’ spaghetti for my dish for dad.

My courtyard planter box, freshly planted with a fig tree and herbs

This dish makes the most of seasonal produce, picked super fresh – colourful kales, broccoli florets as well as broccoli leaves. I’ve grown broccoli for years but it had never occurred to me to use the leaves until I saw them being touted as the new superfood. I was just happy to find out I could use so much more of the plant! Simply chop the leaves finely for salads or coleslaw, or lightly sauté them in a little olive oil or incorporate them into a stir-fry. The flowers are also edible – you can snack on them or use them as a garnish on salads or cakes.

Purple broccoli is my favourite as it's sweeter than green broccoli

Research suggests broccoli helps lower the risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease while boosting overall health, giving you a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, improved digestion and improved bone density thanks to the vitamin K.

A lot of people don’t like broccoli as they’re haunted by the overcooked, oversalted limp stuff of their childhood. But fresh, lightly cooked broccoli is amazing. Homegrown broccoli is so sweet it can be eaten raw straight off the plant.

Spaghetti with spring greens, garlic, pine nuts and lemon

Serves 2

Cooked pasta, zoodles or spaghetti squash

A handful of pine nuts

Several kale and broccoli leaves (or silverbeet, spinach, pak choy etc), sliced into ribbons

Several broccoli florets

Three garlic cloves, crushed or roughly chopped

The zest of half a lemon

Salt and pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toss regularly for a few minutes until they start to brown as they toast. Tip the nuts into a dish and set aside.

Pour a seriously good slosh of olive oil to the pan, add the garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes – keep the garlic moving so it doesn’t burn. Add the broccoli and the other greens, using your wooden spoon to turn them over to coat them in the oil. Keep sautéing them for 3-4 minutes until the leaves have wilted and the florets are crisp but tender. Toss in the pine nuts, the finely grated lemon zest and sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve immediately with your favourite pasta.

Spring greens spaghetti - quick, fresh and delicious