Healthy Up Your Pasta, the Veggie Way

It's not that you don't LIKE vegetables. It's just that there's so much delicious pasta to eat. But you don't have to choose between the two, and you don't have to relegate your veggies to an afterthought of a side salad. Mix your carbs and your produce together for outstanding, flavor-packed main dishes, cold or hot, that are even better for lunch the next day (or breakfast, if you simply can't wait to taste more). Grab your best knife and get chopping, dicing, and julienning while the pasta boils, or toss it all in together! Either way, you'll meet both of your food goals. One, eat vitamin and fiber-rich vegetables because you like a healthy strong body and two, eat delicious, delicious spaghetti and linguine and penne and soba noodles as often because pasta is bae.

Spicy Hoisin Noodle Salad

When your kitchen is hot, you feel like you’re going to melt Wicked Witch of the West style into the linoleum if you turn on the oven. So don’t! Instead, make Budget Bytes Spicy Hoisin Noodle Salad. The creator, Beth, describes it as refreshing, crunchy, and cold. Perfect! You’ll take some cooked, plain soba noodles (leftover whole wheat spaghetti also works just fine), mix them with some chopped bell peppers and edamame, then toss it all together with a magical concoction of hoisin sauce and sriracha. If you’ve never had hoisin before, it’s sold in almost any grocery store’s Asian section and is a sweet, tangy, thick sauce with tons of flavor. With the spiciness of the sriracha, it makes a super fast dressing for the veggies and noodles. Garnish with chopped peanuts, green onions, and cilantro, and you are done - if you want to be. If you want a little something extra, Beth suggests flaked salmon, marinated tofu, shrimp, avocado, bean sprouts, or shredded carrot. Is “all of the above” an option??

Lemony Collard Greens Pasta 

Collard greens are an old friend of mine. I love ‘em on New Year’s Day with black-eyed peas (beans and greens ftw, my Southern friends know the truth!) and a little bit of bacon or sausage to flavor them up. Also cornbread. Cornbread and collard greens were just meant to be together. But that is totally my love of the great Southern cooking tradition speaking, and as we all know, the South is not always all about the healthiness (think Paula Deen and Texas Sheet Cake). In this much much healthier recipes, Kate of Cookie and Kate puts together spicy and bright flavors for a pasta and greens you can serve to even the most health-conscious. She starts with some whole wheat spaghetti and collard greens, then adds big-time flavor and texture: pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, Parmesan, lemon, salt and pepper. It’s not a complicated dish; like the very best pasta, it relies on simple (but surprising) ingredients to create a satisfying meal you’ll be craving all week.

Lightened-Up Sundried Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta 

Pesto is one of my family’s favorite foods; right now I’ve got two basil plants growing (one in my front yard, one in the back) and my kids will snack on the leaves until they’re gone unless I pull them in and pesto them up right quick. But I might just have to start growing a third plant now that I’m ogling this Lightened-Up Sundried Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta too. Whirl up a little olive oil, some sundried tomatoes packed in oil (soak them in water first if you’re using dried ones not packed in oil), basil, garlic cloves, walnuts, crushed red pepper, and nutritional yeast (or Parmesan if you’re not vegan) and you’ve got yourself an insanely flavorful sauce that’s really, really good for you. What I love about Angela’s recipe is that she’s not only used these awesome ingredients in the blended, smooth sauce but also chopped up extra for toppings. That is going to be one texturally complex dish to impress - even if you’re just impressing yourself.

Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta

It might not be easy being green, but eating green isn’t hard with this Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta. And don’t be scared away by the avocados. They may have a reputation for being fatty, but it’s monounsaturated fat, which means you’re reducing your risk of stroke and heart disease and reducing bad cholesterol in your blood while allowing you to eat something super creamy at the same time. They also have quite a lot of protein and a ton of fiber. This recipe’s got a whole bunch of spinach too, which is what gives it this gorgeous green color. Creamy pasta sauces are my nemesis - just thinking about alfredo makes me want to buy a Costco-sized carton of cream and get cooking. But I think this one might just satisfy that creamy pasta craving without leading to my untimely death. Hear that you guys? This pasta saves lives. You heard it from me.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables

You’ve been asked to bring a side dish to the BBQ, and all you can think of is potato chips, potato salad, and that insane thing involving jello, pretzels, cream cheese and Cool Whip. Along with the burgers and brats, you know you’re headed for an evening of overindulgence. But WHAT if instead of all the traditional sides you brought a pasta salad loaded with grilled (or pan-roasted) veggies? Here, Julia used asparagus, red onion, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomato - all totally solid choices, but you could also use corn, yellow squash, or anything else that suits your fancy (or needs to be used up in your fridge). She also doubled the amount of balsamic vinegar usually called for, which no doubt adds a whole bunch of flavor with no extra calories. Be the star of the grill-out party by switching things up this time and veggie it up with style.

Spicy Soba Noodles with Shiitakes

If you love cold Asian noodles, here’s another dish that’s going to make it into your regular rotation. This one's from Smitten Kitchen, my go-to blog for finding new ways to try all my favorite veggies. Mushrooms, edamame, and cabbage get tossed with a Thai chili-garlic paste (or Korean, if you prefer, the kind sometimes called gochujang) and some soba noodles for a simple supper that’s satisfying without being heavy. Some dark-toasted sesame oil might round things out if you’ve got it on hand. You’ll also need soy sauce, scallions, fresh ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds. Of course, if you don’t like any of the elements included here, feel free to experiment; use different veggies, or try the different chili pastes until you find your personal nirvana.

One Pot Farmer’s Market Pasta 

If you’re anything like me, your eyes are WAY bigger than your stomach every time you go to the farmer’s market. Everything looks so shiny and fresh and healthy and then, all of a sudden, the weight of your bulging bag is about to dislocate your shoulder. When it’s on your counter instead of those beautifully arranged rows at the market you may find yourself staring at the pile of produce and asking yourself, “What have I DONE?!?” Perfectly prepared to make this awesome One Pot Farmer's Market Pasta, that’s what you’ve done. If you’re never tried a wonder pot before, it’s really simple: just layer the veggies and pasta in a big pot, pour in your liquid, and let everything boil until the veggies are flawlessly cooked and the pasta is al dente. You add a little grated hard cheese and some fresh herbs and it’s the easiest gourmet meal you could ever hope for. That means letting yourself get carried away when the organic local produce calls your name is now a good thing.