This past weekend we welcomed December with a truly epic winter holiday drink. Kevin Masse posted a recipe on the feedfeed for a double chocolate bourbon milkshake with peppermint bark, and it turned out to be just as amazing as it sounds. We shared a photo of this festive drink on our Instagram page, so be sure to follow us there so you stay up to date with all our posts! In between sipping these wintry milkshakes, we also managed to fit in some recipe testing to mixed results. We tried making a jambalaya which took over three hours, and a kale risotto, but both turned out to be a lot of work with very little payoff. Thankfully, our third contestant was a clear winner: a delicious pasta, with more flavor than the jambalaya and kale risotto combined, that comes together quickly in under 30 minutes. During this holiday season, amidst all the sweet cakes, cookies, and kugels, this simple and light meal is a breath of fresh air.

This creamy pasta is bursting with bright flavors. Tender artichoke hearts are gently sautéed with chopped shallots and red pepper flakes and seasoned with minced chives, fresh mint leaves, and lemon zest. This aromatic blend is then tossed with spirals of cavatappi pasta, along with smooth goat cheese, sharp pecorino romano, and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. The result is a zesty dish that is light and healthy, yet rich and deeply satisfying.

This dish packs quite the punch for using just thirteen ingredients. The shallots, with their beautiful violet-colored stripes, add a delicate flavor similar to an onion. Cavatappi, which is the Italian word for corkscrew, is almost like a long, curly macaroni noodle. It is fairly common, but if you can’t find it, any short chunky pasta will work, such as penne or farfalle. We have tried this recipe with both frozen and canned artichokes, and the canned variety has a tanginess that frozen artichokes often lack, and since there is no defrosting necessary, the prep is a breeze. The mint leaves may seem unexpected in a dish like this, but in fact it pairs perfectly with the tart lemon and goat cheese. The flavor is not overwhelming, and this is not a “minty” dish by any means, but it adds depth and a fresh herbal zing.

This gourmet meal is a quick and simple weeknight dinner. While you bring a pot of water to a boil, you can chop, zest, and grate all the ingredients. Then as the pasta cooks, you can sauté the fresh vegetables and herbs in a skillet. As soon as the pasta is finished, everything is tossed in one pot, and it is ready to serve. Not only is this a great mid-week dinner, it is perfect for this time of year, since the light, bright flavors are a welcome contrast to the indulgent foods we all love during the holidays.