Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Garlicky Kale and Tomatoes

I love finding healthy and delicious recipes that incorporate foods I'm not used to. The last couple months, I have discovered kale. Kale is a leafy green. Kale is packed with vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, and antioxidants. Basically, kale is a superfood! This pasta recipe was a delicious way to incorporate kale into a dinner.

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Garlicky Kale and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
6 oz Whole Grain Spaghetti
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Red Onion - thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic - chopped
salt and pepper
1 bunch Kale leaves - thick stems removed and leaves torn into bite size piecse (about 8 cups)
2 pints Grape Tomatoes - halved
1/2 c. Roasted Almonds - chopped
1/4 c. grated pecorino (1 oz) + more for serving

Method:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Resever 1/4 c. of cooking water, drain pasta, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir occasionally until it begins to brown (4-5 minutes). Add the kale and cook, tossing frequently, until tender (2-3 minutes). Add tomatoes and cook, continuing to toss frequently until the tomatoes soften (1-2 minutes).

Add the kale mixture, almonds, pecorino, and reserved cooking water to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve with extra pecorino.

Stats per serving: 413 calories, 16 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 313 mg sodium, 17 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, 6g sugar, 8 g fiber, 5 mg iron, 335 mg calcium

Delicious!