Recipe Monday: Roasted Garlic & Spinach Pasta

If you skipped yesterday’s posts hoping I’d move on to a happier subject today, you’re in luck!

I’m on a healthy cooking kick lately, most of which seems to be occurring over the weekend. If something works out, Mondays are the logical time to share that with you. Mostly so I’m forced to write it down and remember what I did. I can’t promise a new recipe every Monday – or even any kind of post, for that matter – but, hey! This makes 3 in a row… I think it’s a trend. At least it’s not a muffin!

Roasted Garlic & Spinach Pasta
— Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs healthy margarine or butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped in large, coarse pieces
1 medium onion, cut in large dice
1 box whole grain short pasta (e.g., rotini)
1 package baby spinach
1 14-1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese to garnish

In a small sauté pan, heat olive oil and margarine (or butter) together over medium-low heat.

Add the garlic, onion, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir together and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions to al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

Add the uncooked baby spinach to the hot, cooked pasta, pour the hot oil with the onion and garlic over the top, and toss together.

Turn the heat back on to medium, add the diced tomatoes, stir to combine, and cover the pot. Heat for an additional 4 minutes. Serve it up with a little grated parmesan cheese on top, and enjoy!

I’m really liking these new whole grain pastas that are on the market now. They’re not as tough as the old whole wheat versions, they’re high in protein and fiber, and have much better-balanced carbs. I used the Barilla Whole Grain Rotini here, and you can use anything that looks good to you – even a long pasta, if you like.

I’m also fond of those bags of baby spinach you find in the salad section of the store. It’s completely clean, tender, and so quick that, as in this recipe, you hardly need any direct heat to cook it.

What about the oil? Olive oil, as well as being tasty, is one of those healthy, monounsaturated fats. From Wikipedia: “Unlike the high amount of animal fats typical to the American diet, olive oil lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. It is also known to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Olive oil contains the monounsaturated fat, oleic acid which has antioxidants such as vitamin E and carotenoids, and oleuropein, a chemical that prevents the oxidation of LDL particles. It is these properties that are thought to contribute to the health benefits of olive oil. Research indicates olive oil prevents peptic ulcers and is effective in treatment of peptic ulcer disease, and may be a factor in preventing cancer.” So, while it is a fat, it’s one of the good guys!

This is really quick to throw together on a weeknight, and – served with a salad, maybe some garlic bread – a completely nutritious meal – especially if you want to go meatless one or two nights a week.