35 Minute Pasta Delight
By Jennifer Thomas, Ph.D, AP
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta”
Servings: 3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
● 3 cups pasta [1]
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● 2 tbsp dried herbs: oregano, basil, thyme, sage, parsley, tarragon, marjoram, rosemary (choose 2-3); or use one classic herb blend like French herbs de provence or an Italian herb blend
● 1 cup cooked beans (approx. ¼ cup dried): lentils (black, brown, or green), chickpeas, navy beans, cannellini [2]
● 3 cups cut/diced vegetables:
➢ carrots, green beans, green peas, snow peas, zucchini (choose 2)
➢ leafy greens: spinach, kale, bok choy, swiss chard (choose 1)
➢ broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus (choose 1)
● water
● salt and black pepper (to taste)
● Optional garnish: fresh chopped parsley, nutritional yeast, extra olive oil or ghee
Instructions
1. Rinse beans and soak. After soaking, rinse again and drain using a strainer. Transfer beans to a pot of water and boil until tender. When done, drain the beans using a strainer and set aside. If preferred, use pre-cooked beans.
2. Cook pasta according to box instructions. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the boiling water to prevent pasta from sticking together. Drain using a strainer and set aside. After draining the pasta, use a paper towel to dry the inside of the pot used to boil pasta to prepare for cooking vegetables.
3. While pasta cooks, rinse and cut vegetables.
4. On medium-low heat, reheat the pot used to boil pasta. Place your hand over the pot and when you feel heat on your hand, add 2 tbsp of olive oil.
5. Add herbs and stir as they infuse in the oil for 30 seconds. Add hard vegetables like carrots and green beans with 2 tbsp of water. Cover to allow vegetables to soften for 2 minutes.
6. Uncover and add other vegetables except leafy greens. Continue to stir gently. Increase heat to medium if you don’t hear sizzling. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Ensure heat is not too high to avoid sticking. If the vegetables begin to stick, add water (2-3 tbsp) and lower the heat.
7. Add 1 ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of black pepper.
8. Add beans and stir gently. Allow beans and vegetables to heat through uncovered for a couple minutes. Add a tbsp of water if beans and vegetables need moisture.
9. Stir and add leafy greens.
10. Add pasta and a little water (1-2 tbsp). Stir gently lifting vegetables and beans from the bottom of the pot to help integrate pasta. Avoid stirring too vigorously to maintain the shape of the pasta and vegetables.
11. Adjust salt, heat through, and enjoy your delightful pasta!
12. If desired, add a drizzle of olive oil, fresh chopped parsley, or nutritional yeast (sprinkled for a mild cheesy flavor) on your plate of pasta.
References:
1 Short and tubular shaped pastas work better in this recipe because they are easier to stir and less likely to break while stirring. Penne, farfalle (bow tie), fusilli, rotini, and elbow are good options. Also varieties like whole wheat, einkorn, lentil, chickpea, quinoa, brown rice, cassava, and spinach are more nutrient dense. Consider gluten free options if necessary.
2 When boiling dried beans on the stove, use a 6:1 water to bean ratio (ie: use 3 cups of water to boil ½ cup of beans). This will yield approx 1 ¾ cup cooked lentils. Small beans like lentils cook in approximately 30-35 minutes and soaking them for at least 30 minutes decreases cooking time. Larger beans take 2-3 hrs to cook and should be soaked overnight. Prior to boiling, discard soaking water and cook beans using fresh water. Boil beans until they are soft. Using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to cook beans decreases cooking time. (approximate dried bean amounts for this recipe: ½ cup chickpeas, ⅓ cup black beans, cannelini beans, or navy beans).
Notes
● Time saving tactics: prep veggies and cook dried beans in advance; purchase pre-cut fresh veggies and pre-cooked beans; if using pre-cooked beans, consider using beans in glass jars (ie: Jovial).
● If using, add diced/julienned pre-cooked meat after step 7, adjusting salt, pepper, and water. Also decrease the amount of beans in step 8.
Online Ingredient Resources:
Amazon - pantry staples (pasta, beans, herbs, oils, ghee)
Jovial - pastas (einkorn, gluten free brown rice, & cassava), beans (in glass jars); Jovial products are sold at Vitacost (see below) and on Amazon Jovial Pasta – Jovial Foods, Inc , Beans & Veggies – Jovial Foods, Inc
** Learn more about einkorn: What Is Einkorn – Jovial Foods, Inc
Mountain Rose Herbs (herbs and spices) Culinary Spices , Herbs De Provence , Italian Seasoning
Olive Oil Lovers - Shop Extra Virgin Olive Oils Online - OliveOilLovers.com – Olive Oil Lovers
Pinch Spice Market (herbs and spices) That's Amore, an Organic and Fresh Italian Seasoning and Organic Herbs de Provence: Essential French Spice
iherb (online grocery store) sign up for their emails and receive weekly coupons to save on your purchases - Jovial - iherb
