Feb
11
Spinach is another vegetable I can't get enough of. At work this week, I've ate TBST sandwiches — turkey bacon, spinach and tomato — and spinach salads with balsamic dressing. It has such a distinct, wonderful flavor and it's known as a "power" food loaded with essential nutrients such as vitamin A, C, E and K. I often use spinach instead of lettuce in any meal or sandwich. Actually, I can't remember the last time I bought a head of lettuce. Another healthy switch is whole-wheat pasta. It has has three to five times more fiber than white pasta which is good for the heart and digestion. So all in all, a good meal right here. It can be used as the main course or as a side. The nutritional information is listed below.Creamy Spinach and Penne Pasta
INGREDIENTS
8 oz dry whole-wheat penne pasta
1 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
INGREDIENTS
8 oz dry whole-wheat penne pasta
1 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 tsp. minced lemon zest
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
DIRECTIONS
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil add the penne. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain pasta over a colander filled with the fresh spinach.
Transfer drained pasta and spinach back to pot. Set heat to low and cover until spinach is cooked. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Stir in ricotta, parmesan, zest, salt and pepper; garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.
Rinsing spinach throughly is recommended. There is dirt that collects on the underside of the leaves; mainly when buying fresh spinach by the bunch. I also snap the stems off of the leaves and discard.
After draining pasta over a colander filled with spinach, return to pan on low heat, and cover until spinach is cooked.Makes 4 servings (8 cups)
Per serving:
357 calories
11 total fat (4g sat, 3g mono, 4g poly)
24mg chol
598mg sodium
48g carb (8 fiber, 1g sugar)
20g protein
3mg iron
332mg calcium
Source: Cuisine Lite
this looks so delicious! i love spinach oh so much. i'll have to try this out for sure.