Eat a Rainbow Pasta Dish
My kids love pasta and this rainbow or as we often refer to it as “kitchen sink” dish is always a bit hit and can be made with whatever vegetables or meat you have in your fridge. It’s a great way to incorporate a ton of nutrients from a variety of colorful vegetables making it nutritious, delicious as well as beautiful to the eye.
Picky eaters can simply remove those vegetables that they don’t like, which means the adults will often get extras :). Fresh basil adds amazing flavor and my husband and I usually add red pepper flakes for more kick.
While this recipe is made with ground turkey, it can easily be made vegetarian and you can add optional chic peas or top with hemp hearts for a plant-based protein. I’ve made this with chicken sausage, shrimp and ground chicken or beef as well. It’s so versatile and easy to use what you have on hand. Plus, we almost always have leftovers, which are perfect for kid or adult lunches the next day and support my #cookonceeattwice motto.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
1 cup Mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups Baby Spinach (chopped)
4 Garlic (cloves, minced)
1 Red Bell Pepper (chopped into bit size chunks)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped into bite-size chunks)
2 cups Broccoli (chopped into bite-size pieces)
1 bulb Yellow Onion (sliced/chopped)
16 oz Chic Pea Pasta (uncooked)
Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp (or more) Red Pepper Flakes
1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey (Recommend organic/pasture raised/grass fed if possible. Use)
1/2 cup Basil Leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
2 cups Marinara Sauce (Choose a clean sauce without added sugar or preservatives.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large frying pan cook your ground meat over medium heat until no longer pink (5-10 minutes depending on whether using turkey or beef). Transfer meat to a separate bowl and cover.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove from heat and dump pasta into a strainer. Immediately run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from cooking any further.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan used to cook the meat over medium-high heat (use less oil if you cooked a higher fat meat). Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes (monitor so as to not burn). Add the broccoli (or any other hearty veggies) and cook for 5-7 minutes. Next, add peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes, combining with other veggies. Finally, add chopped spinach. Add another tablespoon of olive oil (if not using a high-fat meat).
Add the desired amount of marinara sauce into the pan with the veggies and mix to combine. Depending on the size of pan you can add the meat and pasta to the veggies and combine or put all contents into a large bowl.
Season with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes, if desired. Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese (if desired) and enjoy!
NOTES:
Use any veggies in your fridge for this dish.
The key is not overcooking the vegetables (or pasta) so make sure you cook heartier vegetables first and add greens, mushrooms at the end for just a few minutes.
I like Banza or other chic-pea varieties) and love Taste Republic (found in MN/WI in the refrigerated section).
I like Organico Bella marinara sauce.
EAT A RAINBOW PASTA DISH
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
- 1 cup Mushrooms (sliced)
- 2 cups Baby Spinach (chopped)
- 4 Garlic (cloves, minced)
- 1 Red Bell Pepper (chopped into bit size chunks)
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped into bite-size chunks)
- 2 cups Broccoli (chopped into bite-size pieces)
- 1 bulb Yellow Onion (sliced/chopped)
- 16 oz Chic Pea Pasta (uncooked)
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp (or more) Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey (Recommend organic/pasture raised/grass fed if possible. Use)
- 1/2 cup Basil Leaves (chopped)
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce (Choose a clean sauce without added sugar or preservatives.)
Instructions
- In a large frying pan cook your ground meat over medium heat until no longer pink (5-10 minutes depending on whether using turkey or beef). Transfer meat to a separate bowl and cover.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove from heat and dump pasta into a strainer. Immediately run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from cooking any further.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan used to cook the meat over medium-high heat (use less oil if you cooked a higher fat meat). Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes (monitor so as to not burn). Add the broccoli (or any other hearty veggies) and cook for 5-7 minutes. Next, add peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes, combining with other veggies. Finally, add chopped spinach. Add another tablespoon of olive oil (if not using a high-fat meat).
- Add the desired amount of marinara sauce into the pan with the veggies and mix to combine. Depending on the size of pan you can add the meat and pasta to the veggies and combine or put all contents into a large bowl.
- Season with salt, pepper, and red chili flakes, if desired. Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese (if desired) and enjoy!
Notes
- Use any veggies in your fridge for this dish.
- The key is not overcooking the vegetables (or pasta) so make sure you cook heartier vegetables first and add greens, mushrooms at the end for just a few minutes.
- I like Banza or other chic-pea varieties) and love Taste Republic (found in MN/WI in the refrigerated section).
- I like Organico Bella marinara sauce.