For those of you who’ve been reading my blog, you know I like easy recipes. At the same time, I resent microwave foods, especially pastas. After years of tasting pastas from microwave boxes, my verdict on them can still be summed up with one word – Yuck!
On the other hand, I do need to make something fast from time to time. This pasta dish is proof that fast does not mean you have to open up a microwave package. I absolutely want you try it.
I dreamed up this pasta dish with the extra spinach when I was testing a green spinach drink for St Patrick’s Day. What do you do with extra spinach when you don’t want a salad?
Read also: Minty Shamrock Drink – Get Your Kids to Eat Spinach this Way!
All you need is one pasta pot, one saucepan, and about five ingredients. Follow my method, and in 20 minutes, you can turn fusilli pasta in a bag into a sensation.
Recipe
Serve 4 to 6
- 1⁄2 lb whole wheat fusilli pasta
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1⁄2 Cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 6 oz baby spinach
- Salt to taste
- Optional, 8 oz chicken breast, separated from store bought rotisserie chicken
Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a pasta pot. Boil fusilli for 6 to 9 minutes. While the pasta in being cooked, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil, toss in the pine nuts and garlic. Let the pine nuts toast for about 1 minute. Watch closely as the color of the pine nuts turn just golden, add spinach. Cook down the spinach about half way. By now, the fusilli should be ready in the pot. Transfer the pasta into the pan and toss everything together. Add salt to taste. If you like to add chicken, you may do so at this point, toss a little more.
Your pasta is now ready. You can serve it warm or cold. If you like, blend yourself my spinach drink, open an ebook, and lunch is served!
Life can be as simple as fixing up a quick, delightful pasta dish just like this.
Lunch on.
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). It is a great treat for lunch or after a workout.
