Posted by Danielle Downs on Mar.27, 2009

©iStockphoto.com - bukvalno

What do Green Diva Moms love more than a Green Diva Date? A Double Green Diva Date! So invite your favorite earth-loving couple for an evening big on adult fun and low on carbon.

Staying in with friends is much more economical than a night out. Consider getting a sitter to take care of all the kids at one house while your double date happens at the other to save money and shuffling. Here is an easy vegan-friendly meal that can easily be made meaty.

Pasta with Olive, Artichoke, and Chickpea Ragout

1 lb pasta, organic whole wheat angel hair or your favorite fun shape

½ cup olive tapenade ( you can find this on the olive bar at your market, in a jar, or you can make your own by whipping a few handfuls of mixed olives with brine in a food processor)

2 cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained, brine reserved

1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, do not rinse.

While pasta is cooking: In a dry pan, lightly toast the chickpeas with paprika, garlic salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the dry seasoning and shake and rotate pan to coat. When chickpeas are very dry and toasty (but seasoning is not scorched) transfer to cutting board. Rough chop them.

Add tapenade, artichokes, and 1 TBSP of artichoke brine to the same sauté pan (the residual seasoning will color the ragu and add flavor). Heat through on medium. Toss drained pasta in to coat. You may need to add more artichoke brine to thin the sauce for even coating. Last, toss in chopped chickpeas.

At this point, you can top with grated parmesan or Romano cheese or add salt and pepper grilled chicken.

Estimated cost to feed four (vegan version, based on co-op pricing in Atlanta GA): $11

Activities

There are plenty of low-eco-impact activities that are just as economical as the meal. Like games!

Set: A pattern game that is great for children and adults. Cards are marked with colored symbols that players mate in sets of three. Simple sets like three-of-a-kind to more complex sets of non-continuity all earn points, making it as challenging as the players dare to play. Careful, it’s super addictive.

Board Games: From trivia to Monopoly, chances are you already have a great game on hand. And playing with other adults is way different than playing with your kids! Many trivia games have themed question card decks now. Pick a card deck that corresponds to the decade when you all graduated from high school and dress accordingly. Flash-back double date or up the ante with a battle of the sexes!

Card Games: Four is ideal for bridge, spades, poker, and more. An assortment of organic jelly beans or fair-trade chocolates make great stand-ins for poker chips.

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Posted under Food, Nutrition & Recipes, Healthy Recipes.