This recipe makes enough for two.

One of the first cookbooks I bought after college, The Express Lane Cookbook by Sarah Fritschner, has been consistently useful to me. I recently tried — and modified — this very simple recipe for pasta with clam sauce. Since we are still trying to be slim, I got rid of a lot of olive oil and added some white wine for flavor. The sauce is a bit soupy, but very lovely with some bread to soak up the juices. Enjoy!

4 ounces linguine
1 T olive oil
three garlic cloves, pressed
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (* tip)
one 6-1/2 ounce can minced clams with liquid (drain, reserve juice)
juice from one lemon
1/3 c white wine
1/4 teas salt, or to taste
freshly grated parmeggiano-reggiano cheese (a bit expensive, but worth it for the taste, plus you use much less with this flavorful cheese)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles al dente, according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat oil over low heat in a medium skillet. Add garlic, sauté for about 2 minutes until softened. Add parsley, clams, lemon juice, wine, and salt. Increase heat to medium-high, bring it to a boil, and cook for about 3-5 minutes. (Add reserved clam juice here if you’d like it saucier, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until hot again.)

Divide pasta into bowls, and top with clam mixture. Top with a generous dusting of finely-grated parmeggiano-reggiano. Serve with warm, crusty bread and a green salad. Mangia!

* Tip: Having thrown out too many bunches of rotting parsley or cilantro, I took the advice of some experts about how to freeze it. Here is the process: purchase some parsley (or other herb), wash and pat it dry, chop, scoop into plastic zip-top bag, and throw in the freezer. Voilà! You'll have freshly chopped parsley or cilantro at your fingertips whenever you need it!