Powerhouse Pasta!

Eat your colors!! No...really! It's not only as bright as a summer day...it's also incredibly healthy to eat a variety of colors when it comes to veggies.  Each color group packs its own individual punch when it comes to vitamins and minerals that it provides.  I mean yeah, it's good to at least be eating your veggies, but why not experiment with new ones...I'm talking to you out there...you, who always stick with your trusty carrot sticks and broccoli buds.  Next time you're packing your carrot sticks for snacking, why not throw in some slightly blanched & cooled fresh green beans and jicama sticks...go ahead, mix it up!  Next time you're preparing your broccoli to throw into your meal for the day...prepare some purple cauliflower and cubed squash to throw in with it?  Sure, you may not like everything...but how will you know unless you try?  Plus, the benefit of various textures and flavors in a dish are just as great as the expanded nutrients you'll be ingesting!  You'll take longer to chew your food and savor those new elements on your tongue...therefore taking your time---slowing down.  You'll be...hmmm, what's the word?...oh yes- SATISFIED!

Here's an overview of some of the benefits of veggies by color*:

RED: lycopene, folate, vitamin C,  flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins, ellagic acid, quercetin, hesperidin.  "These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases." 1-all nutrient quotes from Disabled-World, see footnote

GREEN:  vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, sulforaphane, indoles and isothiocyanates (phytochemicals), calcium, chlorophyll. "These nutrients help reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity."

PURPLE/BLUE: considered to have the highest antioxidant level of all foods, anthocyanin (phytochemical), fiber, ellagic acid, quercetin, vitamin C, flavonoids, resveratrol, lutein, zeaxanthin.  "These nutrients help support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells."

ORANGE/YELLOW:  omega-3 fatty acids (some), zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, vitamin C (last 3 convert to vitamin A in the body).  "These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones."

WHITE:  beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, lignans (provide powerful immune-boosting activity). "These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers."

So, I went out to the gardens...the one in our yard and our community garden and came back with all of the veggies and herbs that I packed into this powerful meal (except the onions and garlic)...and added some Whole Grain Pasta...which added some beneficial healthy fiber to the mix!  So, maybe it was all in my head...because I totally felt healthier just eating this.  Who am I kidding?  It wasn't all in my head...it was real. Oh yeah, it was REAL!!  REAL food, REAL nutrients, REAL tasty.

Powerhouse Pasta
from the kitchen of girlichef

~1/2 lb. Whole Grain Pasta
olive oil
few cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed

handful of each of the following veggies:
onion, chopped
kale, cut into strips, crosswise
carrot, sliced
white cauliflower, cut into florets and blanched
purple cauliflower, cut in to florets and blanched
zucchini, sliced
peas, shelled
tomato, chunked

a little of each fresh herb, chopped:
rosemary
thyme
sage
parsley
purple basil

plus:
crushed red pepper
white wine (optional)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan

Begin by cooking the pasta to al dente and draining, reserving ~1 c. of cooking liquid.  In the meantime, heat a few glugs of olive oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium heat.  Throw in the onions, garlic, kale and carrots.  Sauté until carrots just begin to soften.  Throw in the 2 types of cauliflower, zucchini and peas; continue to sauté, stirring until all veggies are hot and cooked al dente...and just have a bit of color on some edges.  Toss in the cooked pasta, tomatoes, crushed red pepper and chopped herbs...adding as much of the reserved liquid as needed to keep mixture just moist enough to slide around nicely in pan.  Throw in a little white wine at this point, if you want as well.  Cook another minute or so, then add salt and pepper to taste.  When ready to serve, drizzle with a little more olive oil and add a handful or so of freshly grated Parm. 

You could take out the garlic cloves before serving...you could, I definitely would not!!  I dig for those...I totally want them on my plate!!  Also, this is actually a warm pasta dish...earthy, toothsome and completely satisfying as far as a meal goes.  I had a little bit left after the meal and refrigerated it.  It was okay cold, too...but far better warm.  Still ate it straight from the leftover container, though.  Taste the rainbow...

I am sending this over to Pam at Sidewalk Shoes who is hosting Presto Pasta Nights this week and to Kitchen Gadget Girl who is hosting Grow Your Own this month.  I'm also linking up to all of the events listed below...just click on their badges to find out more info!  This is also one of my entries into this weeks Two for Tuesdays...eat REAL food!


*sources: 1Disabled-World, Today's Dietician

*This post is submitted to: