I have been trying some heart-healthy recipes lately. I think some of the reasons we don't try healthy recipes at home or in the restaurants is because the word healthy has a "flavorless" or "weird ingredients" connotation. Many of us grew up seeing or even using certain ingredients that provide us with a certain amount of comfort when we make the same recipes later in our lives.
However, since I have been trying these new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients, I have found out that my bias has been so wrong! These new dishes are so incredibly tasty and I still get the same amount of comfort from the foods when I sit down to enjoy them...I've found that more comfort comes from the company you share your food with rather than the actual food (or even the ambiance of the place I eat it in).
Also, if I am able to use some of these healthy ingredients in my cooking, perhaps my children will find comfort and better health in the future. So, Cheers! to better health, wonderful food, and warm company.
Ingredients:
3 Cups Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
1 Bunch Chard
8 Portabella Mushrooms; sliced
4 Cloves Garlic; diced
2 Tbsp Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Tbsp Chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried) Basil
2 Tbsp Chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried) Oregano
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Preparation:
Rinse chard in water and then dry with a clean towel. Trim the stems to remove any rust and fibrous parts. Remove leaves from the stem and chop into 1 or 2 inch pieces. Chop stems into 1 inch pieces. Set leaves and stems aside. Smash garlic with the flat side of your chefs knife and remove the paper skins. Finely dice 2 cloves of garlic together and do the same to the other 2 cloves (keeping the two piles of diced garlic separate). Pull the stems out of the mushrooms creating a flat surface to slice your mushrooms. Thick slice all your mushrooms and set aside.
Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on the box. While pasta is cooking, place 1 Tbsp of coconut oil in a frying pan and begin sauteing the chard stems covered. When stems are soft (about 5 minutes), add 1 pile of the diced garlic to the pan. Season garlic and stems with a pinch of salt and pepper and the desired amount of red pepper flakes. When garlic has just browned, add the chard leaves. Cook leaves until they are softened.
Drain your pasta and let it sit in the strainer. Add the remaining Tbsp of coconut oil to your pasta pot and saute the mushrooms. When mushrooms are soft begin sauteing the remaining garlic. Season garlic and mushrooms with pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. When the garlic has sauteed for about 1 minute, add the pasta back into the pot and mix thoroughly. Season pasta with basil, oregano, Panko, and Parmesan cheese.
Serve pasta topped with sauteed chard. Other serving suggestions that are great for this dish: 1) Grill chicken with similar seasonings, slice or shred, and add to the dish; 2) Add favorite squash or zucchini; 3) Top dish with fresh tomatoes after plated.
