According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, a 2006 poll shows that 2.3 percent of adults aged 18 years or older say they never eat meat, fish, or fowl and are vegetarians, while 6.7 percent of the total reported they only eliminate meat from their diets. The following recipe is designed to help meet the nutritional needs, such as protein and iron, for the healthy vegetarian diet.
Walnut Pasta Nutrition
Walnuts are the key ingredient to this tasty pasta dish, which provide omega-3 fatty acids, and are recommended by the FDA as part of a heart-healthy diet. Research published in Diabetes Care in the 1990s showed that walnuts also can help those with type 2 diabetes improve HDL cholesterol when consuming up to 30 grams of walnuts per day.
The whole-wheat pasta, which is often made with 50 percent whole-wheat flour, offers as much as three times the fiber of semolina pasta, and many grocery store choices offer added protein, an essential for any vegetarian diet. Spinach adds valuable iron and folic acid, along with other vitamins and nutrients. Starting at around $2.00 per pound, whole-wheat pasta is a healthy and economical way to entertain and stretch a dollar.
Parmesan, with around 25 calories per tablespoon, is a great way to add salty,nutty flavor to a pasta dish. For an alternative, substitute Grana Padano, a cousin of the Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, which has a slightly milder flavor, and is not quite as crumbly as its Parmesan relative.
Vegetarian Walnut Bowtie Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb. whole-wheat bowtie pasta
- 2 Tbl. unsalted butter
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, rinsed and drained
- 2 ½ cups fresh spinach, torn or chopped
- salt
- pepper
- 2 ounces fresh Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese, shredded or broken into chunks
Directions:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and add pasta. Cook, uncovered, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Melt butter in a large, high-sided nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, cook until butter and nuts are browned, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, cook 3 minutes, until just beginning to soften and then add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add spinach to pan and then the pasta using a slotted spoon. Season with salt and pepper, stirring until spinach just wilts, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and add up to 1 Tbl. pasta cooking water and Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine. Divide pasta among four pasta bowls and serve.
Finish off the meal with a simple green salad. Serves four.
Lisa Ann Schleipfer - I am a creative writer from the Great Lakes area, now residing in the sticky state of Florida. I penned my first poem when I was eight, ...
