Broccoli with Pasta

This is a great, quick and easy, but cheap meal. Plus it makes plenty of leftovers for my small family to eat for lunch later in the week.

Broccoli and Pasta

Adapted from the Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis's Farfalle with Broccoli

1 pound pasta
2 heads broccoli, trimmed to florets (or use frozen broccoli)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped (I used my garlic press, or use 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
a couple of squeezes of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (the canned stuff works great!)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally. A couple of minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to the pasta and stir. Drain pasta and broccoli when finished cooking, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, pasta, salt and pepper and toss. Add the reserved pasta water to make a light sauce. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

*** You can also add any type of cooked, chopped meat into this dish as well, although I'd probably keep my recommendations to chicken and tuna (or another type of fish)***