Fall is here along with National Pasta Month!
October 24, 2011, Fort Collins, Colo. – Fall is a time of the year when everyone loves to have a warm dish that is easy to prepare, which is why October is such a great time to celebrate National Pasta Month. This month we bring you an easy-to-prepare pasta dish called Green Garden Penne Pasta. This dish will warm you up on those chilly fall evenings and will be something the whole family can enjoy. Additionally, Green Garden Penne Pasta will also add 2 servings of whole grains to your day. The Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee and Wheat Foods Council remind you to try and make at least half of your grains whole! Whole wheat pasta is the perfect way to help you reach this goal, with this delicious dish to celebrate National Pasta Month! For additional recipes, please visit www.wheatfoods.org.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound fresh spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper (to taste, if desired)
- 1 pound whole wheat penne rigate
- 2 cups Broccolini or broccoli, separated into florets
- 2 cups bell peppers , sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
- In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, using a food processor, pulse the chicken broth and spinach into a thick sauce. Stir into the onions and garlic in the skillet and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. During the last minute of cooking, add the Broccolini and peppers to the pasta and water. Drain, and then toss the pasta, Broccolini and peppers with the spinach sauce. Serve in shallow bowls and top with Feta cheese (1 tablespoon per serving) and Parmesan cheese (1 ½ teaspoons per serving). Makes 8 servings (~1.5 cups per serving)
Amount/Serving: Calories: 347/ Calories from Fat: 90/ Total Fat: 10 g/ Sat Fat: 4 g/ Cholesterol: 19 mg/ Sodium: 342 mg/ Dietary Fiber: 6 g/ Total Carbohydrate: 53 g/ Sugar: 5 g/ Protein: 13 g
