Today I’m sharing a simple weeknight family friendly dinner… pasta! Not white pasta of course, not even whole wheat pasta (bleh), instead pasta made with beans and lentils. If you know me, you know I talk bean and lentil pasta up all the time. It is actually a pretty close second to your regular white semolina pasta, except loaded with protein and cancer fighting nutrients instead of giving you a blood sugar high followed by a crash and taxing your pancreas. If you haven’t tried it yet, do it now!
My favorite brand is Tolerant. They are a fortune at Whole Foods Market, but I’ve been buying them online at Thrive Market for half the price. Unfortunately they’ve been out of stock for months. (One of my friends said she saw Tolerant in Costco!) The next best option is a mix of lentils and quinoa from Ancient Harvest called POW!. My third favorite is the lentil pasta from Explore Cuisine which is mixed with brown rice flour. I have also tried the brand Banza made with chickpeas and it tastes great but the ingredients aren’t as whole as the others listed above.
This easy meal is packed with nutrients! As I mentioned above, beans fight cancer, regulate blood sugar and are loaded with protein. Onions and garlic fight cancer as well and are also prebiotics, meaning the good bacteria in your gut feed off of them! Butternut squash is packed with antioxidants in that bright orange color. One cup of squash will provide you with 59% of your daily vitamin A and 26% of your daily vitamin C. Even the sage is full of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and high in Vitamin K. Herbalists have known for a long time that it also boosts memory!
pasta with butternut squash & sage
serves 2
ingredients
1 8 oz box of lentil or chickpea pasta
1 *butternut squash, cut into quarter inch cubes
1 large shallot (2 small), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh sage, about 20 leaves, minced
extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
directions
preheat oven to 400F. peel and cut your butternut squash (you can find directions here). arrange diced butternut squash in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean up. drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. roast for 40-50 minutes (stirring halfway) or until soft when stabbed with a fork.
*I have seen pre-cut butternut squash in the grocery store, which may be a good option for those who have limited time to prep food. you can also do this step a few days ahead of time and store squash in the refrigerator until ready to use.
cook pasta as directed on box, set aside. I like to drizzle with a little olive oil and toss so the pasta doesn’t stick together.
chop shallot, garlic and sage. on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium saucepan and saute shallot and garlic until soft, a couple minutes. add sage and stir for a few seconds or until it is bright green. reduce to low heat, add pasta and half the butternut squash and cook until warmed throughout. season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy hot.
