Day 18: Whole Wheat Pasta with Vegetables and Herbs

This is one of my favorite recipes. There are multiple reasons for that: 1. It's a pasta dish and I love pasta!! 2. It has lots of fresh veggies and herbs 3. It has lots of onions and garlic 4. I made it up

I make enough for 8 so we can have leftovers for lunch and maybe a meal next week. This is a low-cost meal. Just as an estimate, probably less than $1 per serving.

 Ingredients: 
1-12 ounce box whole wheat pasta- penne or rigatoni
1/2 red pepper, 1/2 yellow pepper chopped into 1/2 inch-1 inch squares
6 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, or 1/2 large onion
1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus a couple more Tablespoons
1 c. baby spinach leaves
1/2 container cherry or grape tomatoes
6-8 large (fresh) basil leaves
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 small mushrooms, sliced


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and roast tomatoes as directed here. I didn't have time for this step so I ended up cooking them over the skillet after step 3. 
2. In a large pot, prepare Pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the onions with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat until soft (about 3-5 minutes), add the garlic, peppers, and mushrooms
3. Drain pasta and return to pot.
4. Add vegetable mixture from skillet to pasta, along with the cup of spinach. Drizzle with olive oil. Blend together and top with parmesan cheese. Mix in chopped basil leaves right before serving.

There are many variations to this recipe. If you'd like more or less of a certain ingredient, go ahead. I also gave a range on many of the ingredients because I don't exactly measure, I just throw things in the pot. Sometimes I also add a can of canneloni (white kidney) beans for added protein, fiber, and nutrients.

I tossed together a quick spinach-lettuce salad (NEVER iceberg lettuce) with homemade Buttermilk Ranch dressing. Normally I add lots of veggies, but they are already in the pasta!

Serves 8
Nutritional Content:
I don't know calorie content but I can provide some nutritional information.
Excellent Source of: Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium,
Good Source of: Protein (yes, even without the meat thanks to the pasta and cheese), Iron , Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin E, Folate, Niacin, Thiamin, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, Selenium,Vitamin B5,

Some of the Vitamins and Minerals listed as a Good Source may actually be an excellent source because they are contained in multiple ingredients.

I bought a package of Living Basil from Whole Foods when I was in Kansas for Easter (Their basil ais better than the basil in Oklahoma). When I came home, I decided to plant it in a pot that Taylor's Aunt and Uncle gave us for Christmas, decorated by their kids. I may post a picture later but it's a little wilty right now due to insufficient sunlight and lack of water. It started to perk up today though. I'm sure it will be doing great in a few days. 

Basil is perfect for Italian recipes. More on its benefits here if you're interested.  Oregano is another great herb for Italian dishes. The only 2 herbs I have potted right now is Basil and Thyme but I am planning on adding a few more in the next couple of weeks. 

::Tip of the Day:: Grow your own! If you can, start a garden. If you're constricted by apartment living like me, you can still grow a few things like herbs- on your window sill or outside. To learn more, go here