~Jackie~
This post is kind of a big deal. I accomplished two things today: I cooked with butternut squash for the first time (yes, this is crazy – it is so good!) and I successfully made Steve his first vegetarian dinner that he loved! I didn’t tell him until halfway through eating it that it was vegetarian, and after his initial shock he continued to finish off his plate and even had seconds. #nailedit. This pasta dish may be vegetarian, but it is PACKED with PROTEIN. There is protein in the whole wheat pasta, chickpeas, and walnuts; you are getting above and beyond your recommended amount per serving. And in addition to the protein you are getting a plentiful amount of veggies! Butternut squash, peas, and spinach are the perfect winter combination for this pasta dish and right in line with our January goals to eat healthier. This meal will definitely be on my meatless Monday menu!
So, I rarely cook with sage and this dish was a reminder how much I love the herb and need to cook with it more! The moment the fresh chopped sage hit the pan with the shallots and butter my entire kitchen filled with a delicious aroma. Sage is commonly burned to cleanse the home or used for medicinal purposes, but I think it’s best chopped and thrown into a savory dish. This is one herb that you definitely would want to buy fresh and not dried to get the superior and distinct flavor. Sage is also one of the few great sources of vitamin K (blood clotting and bone health) and vitamin A (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory). Yay!
One of the best parts about this dish, other than the fact that you get to eat a bowl of pasta, is that it is so easy to make and super quick! Butternut squash – 20 minutes to roast, boil pasta – 6 minutes, sautee veggies – 10 minutes – easy. To make: begin by roasting the butternut squash cubes for 20 minutes until mostly cooked through. Then cook pasta until al dente and reserve some of the starchy pasta water for your sauce. In the meantime, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil, butter, and shallot. Cook a few minutes until shallot becomes translucent. Add the chopped sage and cook for another 30 seconds before adding the cayenne, walnuts, chickpeas, butternut squash, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chickpeas and squash brown slightly. Add the cooked pasta, spinach, peas, lemon juice, and large splash of balsamic vinegar to skillet. Add a small amount of the pasta water to loosen the sauce and incorporate the ingredients (about 1/4 cup). Of course everything tastes better with cheese, but since we are being healthy this month just add some in moderation. A little feta or parmesan goes a long way! Enjoy this quick and satisfying dinner tonight!
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed (+ extra virgin olive oil and salt & pepper for roasting)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1/4 cup sage leaves, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1/4 cup frozen peas
- lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
- balsamic vinegar, splash
- 6 oz. whole wheat linguine (or spaghetti)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- parmesan or feta cheese for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the butternut squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the squash cubes for 20 minutes until mostly cooked through.
- Cook pasta until al dente (about 6 minutes) and reserve some of the starchy pasta water for your sauce.
- In the meantime, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil, butter, and shallot. Cook a few minutes until shallot becomes translucent. Add the chopped sage and cook for another 30 seconds before adding the cayenne, walnuts, chickpeas, butternut squash, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chickpeas and squash brown slightly.
- Add the cooked pasta, spinach, peas, lemon juice, and large splash of balsamic vinegar to skillet. Toss the pasta in the pan to coat and let the spinach wilt. Add a small amount of the pasta water to loosen the sauce and incorporate the ingredients (about 1/4 cup).
- Add desired cheese to dish and serve immediately.
- Top the dish off with an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar if desired.
