Vegan Mediterranean Pasta

Healthy pasta?! YES PLEASE.

This pasta dish is SO freaking yummy and healthy for you at the same time. What more could you ask for? This is a meal you can make quickly that you can store as leftovers or use to serve a family. I have no patience for complicated recipes that take hours to make or that involve a laundry list of ingredients. I used chickpea pasta for this dish – one serving of this chickpea pasta has 27 grams of protein, 13 grams of fiber and tons of vitamins and minerals. You could use quinoa pasta, lentil pasta, or whole wheat if you can’t find either of those. I like using a pasta alternative that has a higher nutrient density than plain white pasta. White pasta is made of refined wheat flour which causes a spike in blood sugar, contributes to fat storage in the body and does not contain essential nutrients.

This recipe is:

Plant-based
Gluten-free
Soy-free
Sugar free
100% yummy

Ingredients:

8 oz gluten-free pasta or whole wheat (I used chickpea pasta) (If you use a traditional 16 oz box of pasta, double the other ingredients, this will make A LOT)

1 jar marinated artichokes (8 oz jar) (I like the ones from Trader Joe’s)

¾ cup kalamata olives

3 cups fresh spinach

1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup diced zucchini

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp avocado oil – optional to saute zucchini

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (balsamic will work too)

Salt + pepper to taste

How to:

1. Cook pasta. While pasta is boiling, get a large non-stick pan and start sauteing the zucchini.
2. Saute zucchini in a little water or avocado/olive oil, your choice. Saute until tender but not too mushy.
3. Add artichokes to pan, just dump the whole jar in there!
4. Strain pasta and add into the pan with zucchini and artichokes.
5. Add spinach, tomatoes, oregano, olives, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt + pepper
6. Keep the pan on low heat and stir until everything is combined and the spinach is wilted.
7. Serve and enjoy!

In good health,

Danielle