ITALIAN INSPIRED PASTA WITH MAINE WHITE BEANS & VEGGIES
This classic Italian dish is usually served as a soup. Here we prepare it as a nutritional luncheon dish. Feel free to vary the veggies and kinds of beans. Let your imagination run wild!
Ingredients
- 3 ounces olive oil
- 3 cups onion chopped (about 1 pound)
- 3 pieces celerywith leaves chopped
- 3 cups broccoli chopped (about 1 pound)
- 3 sweet bell peppers seeded and chopped
- 6 or more garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- 3 15 ounce cans chopped Italian plum tomatoes and juice
- 1.5 pounds whole wheat pasta cooked until al dente penne is a good shape
- 4.5 cups cooked Maine white beans
- Sea salt and fresh pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan on top of the stove over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook until they start to soften. Add the garlic, celery and sweet bell pepper and cook until they start to soften. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and juice, basil, broccoli, sage, rosemary and red pepper flakes.
- Pour into a hotel pan. Stir in the pasta. Stir in the beans and heat thoroughly in a 350 degree oven, adding water if necessary. Taste and season to taste with sea salt and fresh pepper and more herbs if necessary. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Cheryl's Notes
Makes about 25 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 205 calories, 8 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat, (0 grams trans fat), 250 mg. sodium, 5.5 grams fiber. Nutritional bonus: Good source of Vitamin C, thiamin, and folate.