Super Green Spaghetti with Goat Cheese (VIDEO)

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Once a while we all need a quick and easy meal. My family could live on pasta if I would let them! So, I'm always on a search for easy and kid-friendly recipes. Pasta is very versatile ingredient - you can do so many things with it. Using it gives me the opportunity to sneak some good stuff into iconic comfort food.

I'll admit that we are not a gluten-free family, but once a while, I do substitute regular wheat past for one made with veggies, or bean-based. Please, see this post for gluten free and vegan mac and cheese. It's a fun and healthy twist, so why not?

Today I'm offering you a simple recipe that can satisfy your picky child and please any adult. It's super easy and has a ton of flavor. More importantly, just like most Italian foods, it is even better the next day!

Maybe you're asking, "Isn't real pasta bad for you?"

I know. I hear you! These days many of you associates the habits of eating pasta as something bad. Well, let's talk about it for a second.

Have you ever heard about the Blue Zone people or Mediterranean diet? As is well documented, Sicilian people being one of the longest living humans today. Pasta has been a traditional part of the Mediterranean Diet, which has been shown to help prevent the development of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, depression, colorectal cancer, diabetes, obesity, asthma, etc. For much more detailed article on this topic, please read this study.

When it's comes to the food, I find myself disagreeing with the idea that new modern ways to eat is good and criticized the old-fashioned way. Many new diets are putting down gluten like some kind of a new devil of the 21 centuries. But if you are not allergic to it, there is no reason to avoid this kind of protein. Other alternatives to regular pasta often have way less nutrition. They have less protein and more carbs due to the starches added to bind the grain or bean. Like tapioca flour, potato etc.

The key is all about finding a balance, e.g., getting diversity of veggies to go with it, quantity of portion, quality of ingredients, and method of prepetition.

What do I like about this dish?

Here are some reasons why I love this dish:

- Besides from it being very yummy, it is very nutrition!

- Leftovers of pasta are even better!

- Super easy to make and quick too!

- Just a few ingredients needed!

- Beautiful color of green spinach makes me smile!

- The garlic is providing a ton of flavor but not overpowering!

- Makes picky eaters have their veggies intake in one service of pasta! It's all about spinach!

Spinach is considered to be one of the world’s healthiest foods, with researchers identifying more than 12 different types of antioxidants alone, not to mention all of its other vitamins and minerals. Spinach has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities, and if you combine that with its very low amount of calories, it is easily one of the most nutrient-rich foods in existence.

What does the pasta taste like?

This super green pasta tastes just like garlic pesto, if you ever had pesto from garlic greens, then you know exactly what taste like it. And who doesn't like a garlic?

Even though this recipe needs a great amount of garlic, I hardly recommend you not use any preserved garlic. Fresh is the best!!!

Can I substitute spinach?

Yes, absolutely, feel free to use any greens you have on hands or combination of all.

All greens are good in this recipe. It is always fun to play around.

Let's do it...

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Autor: Inna of innichkachef.com

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

8 oz. dried spaghetti (In the video I used whole wheat)

3-4 cloves of garlic

8 oz. baby spinach

1/2 cup chopped parsley (with stems is ok)

1 cup freshy grated parmesan cheese

1 oz. goat cheese

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup of starchy water (from boiling pasta)

salt and black pepper to the taste

olive oil (for the garnish)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling, salted water, and according to the package instructions. I like al dente best as it provides more nutritional value, and al dente pasta is actually lower on the glycemic index than overcooked pasta. al dente best as it provides more nutritional value, and al dente pasta is actually lower on the glycemic index than overcooked pasta. best as it provides more nutritional value, and al dente pasta is actually lower on the glycemic index than overcooked pasta. al dente best as it provides more nutritional value, and al dente pasta is actually lower on the glycemic index than overcooked pasta.

2. Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of starchy water.

2. Meanwhile, peel the garlic and add to a blender, then add parsley, spinach, black pepper, salt, olive oil, and the reserved water.

3. Blend all together, stop and scrape once a while, until the sauce super-smooth.

4. Place pasta into the pan along with green sauce, parmesan cheese.

5. With tongs, mix all together and adjust consistency with reserved water, drizzle with some olive oil.

6. Divide pasta between your plates. Dot over the goat cheese, drizzle with a tiny bit of extra olive oil, and tuck right in.

Enjoy!

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.