Monday, October 1st, 2017

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

Being a quick dinner and crowd pleaser, pasta is popular for many reasons. It comes in endless shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties. Recently, many stores and restaurants are experimenting with new pasta types. From “zoodles” made out of zucchini to spiralized spaghetti squash, many vegetables are masquerading as noodles. These can be a fun addition to recipes and pasta dishes that you already love. Another trend comes straight from stores and manufacturers themselves, who are finding creative ways to add more protein to pasta. From lentil pasta to garbanzo bean pasta, many beans and peas are being harnessed for their natural protein and vitamin content to up the nutritional value of traditional pasta. Both traditional pasta and these new pasta varieties can be healthy components of any diet; it’s certainly an exciting time for the world of pasta!

 

Sauteed Zoodles in Marinara Sauce

4-5 zucchini

1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1 jar marinara sauce

Parmesan cheese to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

5 basil leaves (sliced)

Using a spiralizer, cut 4-5 zucchini into strands (if you don’t have a spiralizer, you can cut zucchini into long, thin strips). Saute the zucchini in olive oil over medium heat, around 8 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and salt and pepper, and cook an additional five minutes. Stir in your favorite marinara sauce and top with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Enjoy!