Mediterranean Pasta with Greens

If you are looking for a fresh and delicious pasta dish, this is definitely worth a try. The Mediterranean Pasta dish has been a favorite of ours from our very first try. This recipe comes from the cook book Clean Food by Terry Walters.

Ingrediants:
1 pound Penne or Fusilli
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 small Onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried Basil
2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1 1/2 cups canned Chickpeas
2 cups canned diced Tomatoes with their liquid
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1/4 cup Mirin (sweet cooking sake)
1 small bunch Kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper (We like to use everyday seasoning from Trader Joes)
Chopped fresh Parsley for garnish

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Rinse, drain, and return to the pot. Drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft (about 3 min). Add basil, oregano, chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato paste, and mirin. Saute for 5 minutes longer. Add the kale, then cover and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Uncover and stir to combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the pasta. Cook to heat through, then garnish with parsley.

The dish is so fresh tasting, flavorful, and still light. It is a great alternative to your everyday pasta with red sauce and it provides greater health benefits as well!