Rice Pasta with Kale, Chicken, and Spinach

After a workout (today it was a long bike ride along Chicago's lakefront path), my favorite meal has always been some version of this pasta. I've had this in many variations over the years. Today's version featured rice pasta with kale, chicken, and spinach.

Here's how my pasta came together:

• 1/2 cup uncooked rice pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups packed fresh, prewashed kale
• 1/2 cup chopped chicken, precooked
• 1 cup loose fresh, prewashed spinach
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1-1/2 tablespoons jarred pesto sauce

As soon as I put the pasta into its boiling water, I heated a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Then I added the minced garlic and sauteed for about one minute.

Add the kale, and about 1/3 cup of the pasta water and the chicken. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Right about now, the pasta is done. Drain and add to the frying pan. Add the pesto sauce and stir to coat. I still had a little pasta water in the pan from cooking the kale, which was perfect; it helps create the sauce with the pesto.

Then add the spinach leaves and feta and stir to coat. Cover and simmer over very light heat for one minute.

Uncover, season with a little freshly ground pepper, and serve!

I probably used too much kale, but can one really have too many leafy greens at one meal? I didn't think so. The feta added just the right amount of tang to the smoothness of the pesto pasta and the slight bitterness of the kale. Another successful, post-workout meal!

I hope this inspired some healthy eating after your workout.

With lots of veggies,
HealthyErika

Broccoli Feta Pasta with Pinto Beans

Toss together steamed broccoli with some pasta, pinto beans, feta and pesto, and you have yourself a delicious picnic dinner!

At my house, every Wednesday night during the summer is Concert Night. As in picnicking at Chicago's beautiful Millennium Park while listening to the Grant Park Music Orchestra. This pasta dish assembles quickly, is easy to transport, and can be served cold if desired, making it a great picnic dinner.

Here is how my pasta came together:

• 3/4 cup uncooked orichiette (little ears pasta)
• two heads broccoli, washed and chopped
• 1/2 can pinto beans
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• handful of almonds, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons jarred pesto sauce

I cooked the pasta first, tossing it in pesto and a little pasta water when it was done, and I set it to the side. Then I steamed the broccoli florets. (You could easily do these two things simultaneously if all your pans aren't in the dishwasher.)

Once the broccoli was steamed, it was a cinch. Combine the broccoli, pasta mixture, pinto beans, and feta. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and season with salt and pepper to taste.

I love the way feta adds spark to vegetables like broccoli, and jarred pesto sauce is my standby for healthy pasta dishes. The chopped almonds add a little crunch. This was one picnic dinner I didn't mind taking seconds of, and neither did my husband.

I hope this helped inspire a healthy broccoli dinner for you.

With lots of veggies,
HealthyErika