Pasta is one of those foods that I think many of us have a love/hate relationship with. Farfalle, penne, and fusilli are all a joy to eat (and fun to say!), but for those struggling to maintain a healthy weight it can feel like just being near pasta is enough to cause unwanted weight gain.
Nevertheless, pasta absolutely can be a part of a frugal healthy eating plan. After all, the pros certainly outweigh the cons: in general, pasta dishes are easy to make, take mere minutes to prepare, and are enjoyable for children and adults alike.
The key to enjoying pasta with no guilt is watching your portion size. This is especially true if the dish contains dense toppings like Alfredo sauce. Traditional Alfredo sauce is prepared with butter, whipping cream, cream cheese, all three of which are very rich in calories from saturated fat and poor in micronutrients.
Marinara sauce is a much healthier alternative, but as a Caribbean woman, I cook with tomato sauce quite often, so I needed an alternative to my alternative.
Growing up in the Virgin Islands, I had never tasted pesto until I moved to the United States mainland. I tried it for the first time at an Italian restaurant in New York simply because it was the only vegetarian pasta dish available. It was of course delicious, but what I did not know at the time is that this flavorful sauce is also nutritious. Now that I look at foods with the eye of a dietitian, I am excited about adding pesto to the Yellow Cedar Kitchen menu. The basil, garlic, and olive oil all have amazing health benefits, but today I will just highlight one component of this recipe: walnuts.
Walnuts are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, vitamin E, copper, manganese, and a host of other vitamins and minerals. The omega-3:omega-6 ratio of walnuts is also quite high compared to other nuts, which favors anti-inflammatory biological processes that can help to stave off chronic disease.
Specifically, walnut consumption has been associated with protection against cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and the development of type-2 diabetes.
This recipe makes about 2.5 cups of Vegan Walnut Pesto:
Ingredients:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup whole walnuts
1/3 cup dried basil
4 cups fresh cherry tomatoes (makes 1 cup roasted)
1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
3 tbsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions:
First, you will need to slice the cherry tomatoes in half and lay them out on a baking sheet that has been sprayed lightly with olive oil. If you would like, you can sprinkle some salt and pepper on the tomatoes too.
Then, place the tomatoes in the oven to roast for an hour at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the tomatoes have cooled, the next step is to combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Cook time:
1 hour
Prep time:
5 minutes
Total time:
1 hour and 5 minutes
Enjoy today.
~Recipe by Michelle Adams @YellowCedarNutrition~
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