Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Chard, Cannellini Beans, and Broiled Grape Tomatoes
After sweating it up at the gym four days a week for the past ten months and not dropping one measly ounce, I've realized (sigh) that it's high time to take a critical look at how I cook and eat—and make a few changes for the healthier. Brian, no beanpole himself, is backing me on this one hundred percent. As he so memorably expressed it the other day, "I don't want us to be the fat Americans!" on our upcoming trip to Spain.
So we've ditched the morning croissants for cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios for him, oatmeal for me), resolved to bring bag lunches to work four days a week, and cut down on decadent restaurant meals. My home cooking has become less porky and more about the veggies that are so abundant this time of year. Frankly, with all the glorious greens, meaty tomatoes, and exotic eggplants crowding the Greenmarket stalls these days, going (mostly) vegetarian hardly feels like sacrifice.
I've even been experimenting with products that, in the past, I would've dismissed as too health-foody—if only I'd deigned to pay them any mind at all. Exhibit A: whole wheat spaghetti. Considering my life-long love affair with soba noodles, it's a bit perplexing that it took me so long to discover the appeal of this nutty, robust pasta. My instinct said to keep it simple and play up its healthfulness with vibrant swiss chard, cannellini beans, and broiled grape tomatoes, which contribute color and tangy sweetness. I've also made this with exotic Tuscan black kale, which is well worth tracking down.
Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Chard, Cannellini Beans, and Broiled Grape Tomatoes
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti1 pint grape tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced4 shallots, thinly sliced2 pounds swiss chard, trimmed of tough stems (or try seeking out tender young chard at the farmer's market—its stems cook in a snap)
Nutmeg2 cups cooked cannellini beans
Salt and pepper
Put pasta water on to boil. Spread grape tomatoes on a sheet pan and broil until the skins are popped and beginning to brown. When water is almost boiling, sauté garlic and shallots in the olive oil in a large skillet until soft. Add chard and a grating of nutmeg to skillet, wilt down greens. Add tomatoes and beans. Begin cooking pasta. After a minute, add one-half to one cup pasta water to the skillet and simmer. Season veggies with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, and mix to combine. Check for seasoning. Drizzle each serving with a little good-quality olive oil and serve with grated parmesan cheese, if you want.
Categories: Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegetables
Technorati Tags: pasta, vegetarian recipes, swiss chard
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I hope your dietary decisions pay off, Sarah!
The pasta dish looks delicious, great way to start!
Wow, that's really disheartening that over 10 months... =( Well, good luck with eating healthy, I am always at a loss for which to choose (exercise more, or eat less). Sigh! This looks delish and I, too, never thought about whole wheat pasta being yummy, though I do love soba. Perplexing!
Yum! Thank you for sharing such wonderful, healthy recipes!
Hi Patricia--thanks! I'm slowly realizing that healthy stuff can taste good, too!
Hi Yvo--thanks for the encouragement. My problem is that I need to work out more and eat less.
Hi Shandra--You're welcome! Thanks for visiting!
Well, on the bright side, you haven't gained any! And you've got that wonderful recipe to enjoy (I'm quite find of swiss chard - it's adds a nice edge to foods, doesn't it).
Cheers!
That's so true--haven't lost an ounce, but haven't gained an ounce, either!
So many of us are in the same boat -- need to eat less and/or healthier and exercise more. I think I eat pretty well (except for lapses like last week's day of jellybean pig-out day), but I definitely eat more than I need. However, even exercising without weight loss makes one healthier, if not slimmer. And that's worth it too.
Claire @ http://culinary-colorado.blogspot.com
Muscle weighs more than fat, so you are just getting more muscle-y! Yeah, whole wheat has been a recent yummy discovery for me too.
Hi Claire--you are right--I do feel better, even if I don't look better. I had a recent pig-out day too. It was at a German restaurant. I'll leave it at that.
Hi Michelle--Ha! Of course that's what I've been telling myself. The rational part of my brain isn't buying it, though.
You healthy cooking sounds great! I have come to like whole wheat pasta better than regular in most cases (it is especially tasty with greens, as evidenced in your recipe). I eat oatmeal for breakfast nearly every weekday to help balance my diet...I love it. Trip toasting some chopped walnuts and chopping up some dates and adding them in. That's my fave way to eat it. I really like your lentil salad recipe too. I usually make mine more wintry, so this is a nice change.
Julie
Thanks, Julie! I will try jazzing up my oatmeal with your suggestions . . . it does get a little monotonous, otherwise. I'm going to do more with whole wheat pasta, too--it really is yummy.
Nice recipe, thanks! And you're on the right track with the changes you're making. A couple of years ago, I decided to halve the amount of pasta or meat on my plate and double the amount of veggies and I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off . . . and learned to enjoy veggies in a whole new way. Great blog!
Cheers,
Lia
www.swirlingnotions.com