Sometimes, a dish is so simple that it is hard to call it a recipe. This is one of those dishes, using a container of goat cheese to create an easy but delicious sauce for pasta and asparagus. Look for goat cheese with roasted garlic and basil (or another combination if available). Plain goat cheese will also work, but add 2 teaspoons of grainy mustard for more flavor. Goat cheese will create a sauce similar to Alfredo, but without the fattening butter or cream.

Any variety of pasta will work in this dish, but my preference is a short, shaped pasta such as rotini. As the pasta boils in salted water, starch is released into the water. Reserved pasta water helps bind the sauce together (in a pinch, it can also help you stretch too little sauce without compromising flavor too much).

Pasta and Asparagus with Goat Cheese

1 box (1 lb) pasta
1 tbsp sea salt
1 lb asparagus, tough ends removed and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 container (about 5 oz) goat cheese with basil and roasted garlic
Parmesan cheese, optional

Bring a large pot of water to a full, rolling boil. Add sea salt and pasta. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add asparagus. Cook an additional 5 minutes, until pasta is al dente and asparagus is tender. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.

Add goat cheese to pasta and asparagus, stirring to melt. Add small amounts of reserved pasta water until sauce is at desired consistency. Top with Parmesan cheese just before serving, if desired.  

Frugal Breakdown:
1 box pasta: $0.88 
sea salt : negligible
1 lb asparagus: $2.86
1 container goat cheese: $4.79 
Parmesan cheese: $0.50
TOTAL: $9.03

Verdict: Success, though goat cheese is more expensive than a jar of Alfredosauce. Asparagus can also be an expensive produce item, depending on the time of year (in late spring, the price per pound can be as low as $0.99). Sales on pasta were a little higher this time around, $0.88 instead of $0.50 for a box, which is still not a bad deal.

Looking for a quick and easy dinner idea? Try this all-in-one meal, full of flavor and fresh vegetables. If zucchini isn’t your thing, try asparagus or sugar snap peas.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz (half box) linguine or fettucine
1 lb zucchini, halved cross-wise and sliced into thin moons
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
5 oz soft goat cheese 
2-3 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Sear chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until done.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and pasta, cooking according to package directions until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Heat additional 1-2 tsp oil in skillet chicken was seared in and add onions and zucchini. Saute for 5 minutes and stir in garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute another 2 minutes.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the water. Add goat cheese to pasta and reserved water, stirring well until creamy. Stir in zucchini mixture. Top with 1/4 tsp pepper.

Nestle cooked chicken breasts into pasta and serve immediately. 

From the book Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, here is a quick dish to make with seasonal asparagus and fresh dill. If you can boil water and cut vegetables, you can make this dish! If you don’t have fettuccine noodles, use another thick-stranded pasta such as linguini.

1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 lb fettuccine
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
4 oz creamy goat cheese, broken into pieces
2 tbsp grainy mustard
2 tbsp snipped fresh dill leaves

Halve asparagus length-wise and cut cross-wise into third. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast pine nuts, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente (8-10 minutes), according to package directions. Add asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest.

Return pasta, asparagus, and reserved pasta water to pot. Toss with the goat cheese, mustard, dill, and toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Shown below with Cucumber Onion Salad and home-grown tomatoes: