Pasta with Passion Sauce

Before you think that I lost my mind and was caught by a Valentine's Day fever,  a warning: All the colors of this dish come from nature. It was made last-minute after a hungry preschooler arrived at home, asking for some mac and cheese. The only bag of pasta I had was whole wheat fusilli, and the cheese sauce had to be made from scratch, which was not a problem, as I had many types of cheese in the fridge. A bundle of beetroot was there on the countertop, waiting for some use. And then the idea came quickly: what about a pink sauce?

The result is the recipe below. I ate a whole bowl of the pasta in a few minutes, while the kid was cautious about that "pink food" but ended up eating almost everything, when it had a bit of extra cheese on the top. He also enjoyed it, although his original idea was to have traditional mac'n cheese.  I might fall in love with this new way of adding beets to our plates, and this is perhaps just a first step towards a whole new world of colorful and healthier dishes on our table.

If you want to add other beautiful pink food to your menu in Valentine's day, here are some tips:

• Try this dip to start a wonderful Valentine's brunch.
• Another possibility is to try out crepes, as this one that we published last Valentine's.
• Fix Me a Snack has also a brilliant idea: easy and happy toast.
• Darienne's wonderful recipe and compilation of good ideas is here!

Pasta with Beets and Cheddar Sauce

4 cups of your favorite whole wheat pasta shape, cooked al dente
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons raw red beet (about half of a medium beet), grated

Cook pasta as directed per package, until al dente. While the pasta cooks, warm milk and gradually add the cheese and nutmeg, whisking constantly with a metal wire whisk over a low flame. Mix constantly and when it starts to reduce, add grated beets. Simmer for about 10 minutes and add to the pasta. Enjoy it!