Comfy Pasta Dish

We all have those days that make us want to eat something filling and that reminds us of our childhood. For me, it’s Italian dishes such as pasta.  I love pasta, especially on cold dark days like this.  While I tell everyone to avoid pasta because it spikes the heck out of your blood sugars, I am always game at finding viable options that void those spikes, avoid the guilt and veer away from poor ingredients. Aside from my Zucchini Veghetti recipe, here is another easy to make yummy pasta dish for you and your family to enjoy:

What to get:

Either black bean or quinoa/brown rice pasta (Trader Joes has it so make sure you check the ingredients and that it has no added crap in there)

Organic marinara sauce

Organic spinach

Organic Broccoli

Onions (optional)

Optional Add ins:

Lean turkey meat

Shrimp and Scallops

* see the extra ingredients below for the protein options and add those to your shopping list

Any other protein from the JZ FITNESS app (it is on Android too)

What to do:

It is so easy you are gonna be like, really?  Yes, really!  Starting with the pasta first; measure out one cup of pasta for each person eating this dish.  A man (or growing boy) might eat a tad more, but no more than 2 cups.  Put the pasta into boiling water.  Next, put the whole jar of marinara sauce into a separate pot. Add in 2 cups of each vegetable from above into the marinara sauce.  Let it simmer for about 8-10 minutes on a low heat.  Once the water boils over all over your stove (just kidding) strain the pasta.  Then divide it into portions and pour the marinara veggie blend over the pasta.

If you add a protein into the pasta (which I recommend), this is what you do:

For the turkey meat: Dump the whole turkey meat tray into a frying pan lined with vegetable stock.  Season the turkey with garlic, crushed red pepper, and a tad of cayenne pepper.  Cook it thoroughly through.  Once it is cooked, divide into each dish over the pasta.

For the Shrimp and Scallops: sauté them in a pan with some olive oil or bake them in the oven.  Baking them might take longer so it depends on the taste you are going for.  You can even put them on the BBQ grill.  Add a little garlic on them and once they are cooked, divide about a palm full into each plate.

This dish is so dang good.  Your family will love you more.  And while the pasta is higher in carbs then a dish that are plain in veggies , you must note that variety is the key to a diet free life.  So break those chains my friends and make these small shifts.  They will change your life forever! 😉