Mediterranean Pasta

Meatless yes. Tasteless never.

This was a dinner I whipped up after a very long (and grotesquely cold) day last week. It was a very quick, spontaneous recipe that ended up, thank goodness, being quite tasty.

Steamy pasta topped with a rich garlic fire roasted tomato sauce and loads of veggies.

I sigh with happiness.

You can keep it simple with spaghetti or you can get really crazy and choose fun varieties of pasta such as Farfalle, Orecchiette, or Gemelli. Gluten-free, sprouted grain pastas or pastas with added super foods like flax seeds are also fabulous. Don’t eat noodles? No problem! Try this sauce served over cooked quinoa or zucchini noodles.

Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.

In addition to the veggies in this sauce, you could also add capers, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, red & green peppers and more! Let your imagination (or whatever you have to use up in your fridge) be your guide.

got nuts. be spontaneous. create.

I hope that you find this recipe to be one that keeps you inspired to eat good clean food… even when you’re short on time.

Mediterranean Pasta recipe
1 package of spaghetti (I like to use gluten-free)
5 oil-packed organic sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
25 oz can of crushed, peeled organic fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pits removed & sliced in half
15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups of Tuscan kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
fresh cracked black pepper & salt to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)

For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside. To prepare the sauce, in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan combine onion, garlic and olive oil.  Cook until onions are soft and translucent, then add chopped sun-dried tomatoes & basil. Stir to combine. Next, add chickpeas and olives, and simmer for an additional couple of minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes (if using) and fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste. Lastly, add the kale and mix well until kale is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Serv warm sauce on top of noodles or grains.

Do you have a favorite quick + healthy dinner? Leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you!