Cooking with Whole-Wheat Pasta
Combine Spaghetti with Kale in this Heart-Healthy Dish
If one of your New Year's resolutions was to start preparing more heart-healthy dishes, look to this Whole-Wheat Pasta dish served with kale to keep you on track.
No matter if you're young or old, everyone seems to like pasta. Some may prefer it covered in tomato sauce, while others prefer it cold, served with mixed chopped vegetables. But did you know that pasta is actually full of nutrients your body needs to stay healthy? And if you're looking for more heart-healthy dishes to satisfy a New Year's resolution, then our Whole-Wheat Pasta with Kale is just the pasta dish for you. If you've never tried whole-wheat pasta, you'll find it to have a slightly nuttier flavor and texture than regular pasta. If you've been accustomed to eating regular pasta, the flavor might take some getting used to, but it's actually quite delicious, especially when topped with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Kale can be an intimidating vegetable when you see it in the supermarket, but preparing it for this dish is quite easy. When shopping for kale, choose unblemished, plump leaves. Be sure to remove the tough thick stems from the kale leaves before cooking. You might think one bunch of kale is a large amount to use for this dish, but the leaves will actually cook down when placed in the hot skillet. Kale is full of heart-healthy vitamins and minerals, making it a great vegetable to include in your diet.
Whole-Wheat Pasta with Kale
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch kale (1 pound), thick stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepepr
2 cups homememade or canned reduced sodium chicken broth
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic in the butter until golden, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Add half the kale to the skillet; cook, tossing the kale until it is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing until all of the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and simmer until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the kale and Parmesan cheese; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved cooking water, as desired. Divide the pasta among the plates; top with more cheese.
