Sometimes I have big plans of cooking healthy, only to sabotage myself by adding a bucket of cheese at the end. I can’t help it — it’s more delicious that way!

My goal was to make some creamy pasta—without overdoing it on the cheese—so I started off by sautéing some peas and carrots for a veggie base. (Those are the only veggies I can get someone to eat!) Then I added some pinto beans and cooked them down until they got soft enough to mash up into a creamy base. Finally, I added cooked noodles to the mix, along with some of their pasta water to loosen up the sauce. The finishing touch was a hit of lemon juice and a shit ton of parmesan cheese, plus some butter to make it extra creamy and flavorful. So, healthy intentions that got a little derailed.

The pairing: 2017 Three of Cups L’ermite Grenache.

This light, fruity red wine goes wonderfully with a lighter, creamy sauce.

Grenache—and this one in particular—has interesting tobacco and peppercorn notes that are a welcome addition to a simpler pasta sauce.

Plus, bright cherry and strawberry notes in the wine help liven up the pasta! A win in my book.