Well, I have been waiting to make this dish. Pasta is my favorite and I wanted to load it up with a healthy soybean and make it more healthylicious.
Edamame is commonly known as “soy bean” harvested at the peak of “ripening”, before it reaches “hardening” time. Edamame is a complete protein, containing all amino acids, and is an essential source of Protein, fiber, essential fatty acids and isoflavones and are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Half cup of edamame contains just 120 calories making it a healthy pick.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat pasta – 3 cups
- Edamame – ½ cup
- Spinach – 1 cup (chopped finely)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Tomato – 1 (chopped)/ sundried tomato – 4
- Garlic – 2 pods (minced)
- Chili flakes- ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil- 2 table spoons
Directions
1. Boil water and cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In another pot boil water and add edamame. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Drain the water, cool it and shell the pods.
3. I used sundried tomato so I soaked it in hot water for 5 minutes and chopped them into pieces.
4. Set a non stick skillet and add olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Stir in onions and red chilis flakes and cook till onion becomes translucent.
5. Add chopped spinach and cook till they are wilted. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.
6. Stir in edamame and drained pasta and toss well until ingredients are mixed. Add salt. Cook until everything is warmed.
7. Switch off the stove and serve warm.
This is my entry for Coco Cooks MLLA 10th serving and Susan’s My Legume Love Affair-The Host Lineup
It so happens that you want to cook a good dinner but don’t want to spend too much time. Frozen veggies are life savers in times like these. We are great lovers of pasta and my son loves his pasta with little heat in it. Here is a version of pata with two types of pasta shells (to add some variety and excitement for kids) and stir fry veggies.
Ingredients
- Pasta- 4 cups ( Use two different varieties if you want. Cook according to the pack instructions).
- Mint leaves- ½ cup ( washed )
- Biryani masala powder or curry powder– ¼ tsp.(optional)
- Italian seasoning – 1 tsp.
Directions
- Set a deep bottomed pan and add olive oil. Add the garlic once the oil is hot. Take care not to burn them. Stir in the red chilies and onions and fry till they are cooked.
- Add the mint leaves and fry till the leaves wilt. Stir in the thawed veggies and fry for a couple of minutes (.if using biryani masala add it now) Add salt.
- Ladle the cooked pasta from the boiling water so that the pasta is not dry and has soft, yet firm texture.
- Add the pasta, toss with the vegetables and sprinkle the Italian seasoning.
Your taste buds will encounter the flavor twist from mint leaves and biryani masala. If you don’t care for biryani flavor, just don’t use it and yet you will have a tasty dish.
Pasta is a versatile dish that can be incorporated any kind of flavor, making the dish pleasing and palatable. Being pasta lover, I often cook it with different combination of ingredients. I have given my favorite recipe here. Hope you find this pleasing and palatable too.
Ingredients
- Pasta - 4 cups ( I prefer to use whole grain pasta to get some fiber into the meal)
- Colored bell peppers - cubed into pieces. ( I used red, yellow, orange and green - Bell peppers are great source of vitamin C. Green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C by weight than citrus fruits, and this powerful punch of vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. Red bell peppers have three times vitamin C and eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers. )
- Onion – 1 (chopped).
- Garlic cloves – 2 ( grated - grating the garlic enhances the flavor of pasta)
- Plain tomato sauce – 5 tbsp
- Crushed red pepper – 1 tsp
- Italian seasoning – 1 tsp
- Curry powder – 1/2 tsp
- Olive oil (extra virgin – try to use extra virgin whenever you can. It contains less than 0.8% acidity, no refined oil and has a superior taste. ) – 3 tsp
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat the olive oil and add the grated garlic and onions. once the onions become translucent add crushed pepper and curry powder and italian seasoning.
3. Add bell peppers and stir fry them for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Now add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring the flame to medium heat and let the veggies cook in tomato sauce for 5 minutes.
5. Add salt and stir in the cooked pasta. Mix well.
Clashing and colorful pasta is ready. When use curry powder, it enhances the flavor and aroma.
