Recipes from The Sylvia Center, whose mission is to inspire young people to become healthy eaters and advocates for healthy food in their families and communities.
One of our popular extra items is the weekly pasta subscription, and for good reason. Flour City Pasta takes about 5 minutes to hit al-dente, making it a lifesaver on busy days. Add in some kale and white beans, a little seasoning, and a healthy sprinkle of cheese and you’ve got yourself a rather fancy weeknight after work/before practice/night class. The white beans make this vegetarian meal plenty filling. Hint: make extra and have a fancy lunch tomorrow.
Tuscan Kale and White Bean Pasta
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, chopped coarsely
1 15 oz can of white beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
Olive Oil
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
½ lemon
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb whole wheat pasta
Preparation:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to instructions or until al dente, just slightly undercooked. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
- While pasta is cooking, bring a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot, add olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add onions and pinch of cayenne pepper and saute until translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Add garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add kale and saute until soft, but still bright green. Add white beans and then the pasta and reserved pasta water. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and grated parmesan.
Contributed by The Sylvia Center.