Bursting with flavour and colour, this dish ticks a lot of longevity boxes. The canned fish offers dual benefits via healthy omega-3 fats and extra calcium.
SERVES 2
Ingredients
150g (5½oz) wholewheat penne pasta
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper
120g (4¼oz) canned sardines or pilchards in olive oil, drained
2 lemon wedges, to serve
For the pesto
good handful of basil
good handful of mint leaves
½ green chilli, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ripe small avocado, halved and stoned
lemon juice, to taste
1 Put a large pan of water on to boil. When boiling, add the pasta and cook for 10–12 minutes until it is al dente. Drain the pasta well and allow to cool a little.
2 While the pasta is cooking make the pesto. Place the basil stalks and leaves, mint leaves, green chilli, and oil into a blender. Blend the mixture to a pulp, then add in the avocado flesh and blend again until you have a smooth paste. Season with black pepper and lemon juice, to taste.
3 Roughly chop the tomatoes into 2cm (3/4in) chunks and transfer to a plate and season with black pepper. Flake or chunk the sardines (or pilchards) and add to the tomatoes.
4 Add the pesto to the pasta, stirring to mix thoroughly. Spoon the pasta into serving bowls, then arrange the tomatoes and sardines on top. Serve with lemon wedges. This dish works well both as a hot lunch or a cold one the next day.
NUTRITION PER SERVING Calories 519 Total fat 23.7g Saturated fat 4.7g Carbohydrates 57.8g Dietary fibre 12.7g Sugars 8.3g Protein 22.2g Salt 0.5g
Smart swaps
• Swap the mint in the pesto for a handful of pine nuts for a nuttier flavour and a micronutrient boost – you’ll get more potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, and vitamin E.
• For a different texture, replace half of the pasta with a 400g (14oz) can of green lentils (rinsed and drained). They contain more than double the protein and a third more fibre than the pasta, making this a perfect hunger-busting swap.
NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW
Canned sardines are great for bone health. Half a can contains 28 per cent of your daily calcium needs, as well as protein, phosphorus, and vitamin D – three other key nutrients for bone health.