Tom and I are starting our Jeff Galloway half-marathon training program next week and I am busy reading about foods that will help fuel us without weighing us down. I know pasta is considered a “no-no” in many circles, but whole grain pasta just can’t be beat for giving me long lasting carb energy.

This pasta recipe came about from a Pinterest pin by Lauren’s Latest. The original recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Alfredo sounded so good, I couldn’t wait to try it. Fortunately, our peppers here are going crazy this fall, so beautiful sweet red peppers are quite affordable at the farmers markets. I increased the amount of red bell pepper and added some fresh shrimp and some local, organic Shitake mushrooms, but otherwise I stuck pretty close to the original recipe.

The result was a light and delicious pasta that had a fresh taste, but also had the rich taste of the goat cheese. We used some basil-black pepper local goat cheese from the Hillsborough Cheese Company, and it was super with the red peppers.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta (makes four servings)

• 1/2 lb. spaghetti pasta
• 3 large red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup fat free half and half
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese
• 6-8 fresh, Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Heat a gas grill to high.
2. While grill is heating, toss the whole bell peppers with the tablespoon of olive oil. Using tongs, put the peppers on the hot grill. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes, turning peppers every 3-4 minutes. Peppers are done when the skin is charred all over.
3. Put the hot peppers in a large bowl and cover the bowl with a lid or a plate. Let steam for about 15 minutes.
4. Put a stock pot of water on to boil (for pasta).
5. While peppers are cooling, heat the grapeseed oil in a deep skillet. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft.
6. While onions are cooking, remove the charred skins, stems and seeds from the roasted peppers. Chop the peppers and add them to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring well.
7. Add the cup of half and half, asiago and the goat cheese. Stir until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes or so.
8. Pour the mixture into a blender or CAREFULLY use an immersion blender to puree the pepper/goat cheese mixture (NOTE: my pan was too shallow, making a splattery mess once I cranked up the immersion blender. I ended up pouring the mixture into a large, deep bowl, pureeing it, and returning it to the pan.)
9. Cook the pasta according to directions.
10. While pasta cooks, add the shrimp and mushrooms to the blended sauce, and cook until shrimp are pink and opaque–about 6 minutes.
11. Drain the pasta and add pasta to the pan with the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta well.
12. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley or more cheese.