Pasta is a great way to present a quick, one dish meal that is a perfect backdrop for lots of colourful and healthy plant-based foods. In this recipe Italian seasonings intermingle very delectably with Mexican spices to create this nutritious and delicious one dish meal.
MEX-ITALIA PASTA
¼ cup apple juice
1 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Italian spice
1 tbsp oregano
¼ tsp chipotle
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup fresh basil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup chick peas, canned or soaked and softened
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup cooked potato chunks,in bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp sweet chili jelly
1 – 12 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup V-8 juice
Salt and pepper
4 cups cooked pasta
1 cup fresh spinach
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes
Saute onions and garlic in apple juice.
Add spices. Add rest of ingredients except for spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
Simmer until hot.
Meanwhile, cook your favourite whole wheat pasta according to package directions.
Add in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer another couple of minutes until the spinach is wilted.
Pour the vegetable “sauce” over the pasta and serve.
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My name is Debra Harley (BScPhm) and I welcome you to my retirement project, this website. Over the course of a life many lessons are learned, altering deeply-rooted ideas and creating new passions.
Deb, what are your thoughts on lentil, bean or chickpea pastas. I’ve been using these periodically for variety in our diet. Am only using organic lentil (or other) flour, no other ingredients. They are full of fiber and taste great.
Any pasta made from a whole grain or legume is much better for you than those made from refined flour. Whole wheat pastas have been shown to cause a much lower rise in blood sugar than white pastas. Lentil, bean or chickpea pastas are definitely high in fiber and are healthy foods in my book. Keep in mind though that pastas are processed foods. Look for those that contain the whole food they are made from and very few added ingredients.