Though many of this week's recipes are fairly quick and simple to prepare, this is the one I think is quickest. You would probably do best to get the sherbet going first and freeze it until you're ready to eat. The other two dishes just require one pan each (besides the pasta cooking pot), and can cook at the same time.
My mom has been making this pasta recipe for as long as I can remember. It's funny... when I asked her for her recipe, it went something like this, “Chop a couple of cloves of garlic. Chop 4 ribs of celery without tops and white bottoms. After they are softened, add a couple of chopped tomatoes. When mixture start to look done, add at least a cup of frozen peas. Salt and pepper and sometimes some red pepper flakes.” I've interpreted it for you here.
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 c. fresh peas (or frozen)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans
1 lb. whole grain pasta
Cook your whole grain pasta according to package instructions. When it's done, strain it and set it aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the celery and cook until it starts to soften. Then add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking for about 3-4 minutes. Add the beans and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Add the peas and the cooked pasta. Stir well to cover the pasta with the sauce, and serve.
Per serving: 332 calories, 5g fat, 43 calories from fat, 17g protein, 60g carbohydrates, 15g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 45g sodium, 32.8mg vitamin C, 153mcg folate, 2.3mg manganese, 33.6mcg vitamin K, 33.5mcg selenium
Swiss chard comes from the same family as beets, and you can find all different colors of stems; anywhere from red to white to green. In the greens world, kale and collards stand up a bit higher than chard, but it's still good for you and quite delicious. If you want to sub in kale here, you will love this dish the same.
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. Swiss chard, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 c. tomatoes, diced
1 15 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 large fresh sage leaves, minced
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sage and cook until the onion is soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chard (include the stems), and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. After the chard is soft, add the white beans. Taste for salt and/or pepper.
Per serving: 171 calories, 4g fat, 36 calories from fat, 9g dietary fiber, 10g protein, 26g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 243mg sodium, 116mcg folate, 4.1mg iron, 214mg phosphorous, 0.5mg copper, 7233IU vitamin A, 41.7mg vitamin C, 938mcg vitamin K, 142mg magnesium, 1mg manganese
2 c. strawberries
1/3 c. agave nectar
1/2 c. raw almond milk
1/4 c. orange juice
dash of cinnamon
In a small bowl, combine strawberries and agave nectar and allow to stand until juicy. Puree the strawberries in a blender until smooth. Add the milk, juice, and cinnamon and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a freezer container and freeze until hard, usually about 6-12 hours. If you have an ice cream maker, you can make this much quicker and the texture will come out smoother. Before putting the mix into the freezer, chill it for about 1 hour so it's very cold. Then freeze according to the ice cream maker directions.
Per serving: 105 calories, 1g fat, 7 calories from fat, 1g protein, 25g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 29mg sodium, 52.5mg vitamin C, 0.4mg manganese