"Let's Make a Baby, Healthier" Pasta

I adapted this recipe from this month's Glamour magazine, featuring a recipe called "Let's Make a Baby Pasta"

 Grains, Greens and Beans make for healthy Mommy, Baby and Family!

Well, I've already made a baby, which is growing inside me and developing a taste for everything Mommy is eating - healthy eaters begin in the tummy!

So I decided to take the recipe and make it healthier, for me AND for baby (and for the hungry husband and active toddler in the family too!)

But you don't need to be making a baby or even a parent to love this dish!

With the addition of whole grain pasta vs. white, lentils and spinach, I've upped the Fiber, Protein and Folic Acid and made it a heartier dish too!  Good stuff for anyone!

We order lentils in the can in bulk from Amazon and always have diced tomatoes and whole grain pasta on hand from our warehouse club trips, so throwing this together is SUPER easy!

Lentil Penne Pasta

1 Can Lentils, drained

1 Can Diced Tomatoes (not drained)

1 Box Whole Grain Penne Pasta

1/2 Yellow or White Onion, diced

Spinach - Handful of baby spinach or 1/2 bag frozen spinach, thawed

1-2 TBSP chopped Garlic

Olive Oil

Dried or fresh Basil (try to use fresh chopped basil if you can, it makes any pasta dish a literal MILLION times better!)

Oregano

Salt

1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Boil pasta according to directions, drain and set aside

In a large soup pot, heat 1 TBSP olive oil

Add garlic, spinach and onion and fry a few minutes

Add in lentils and tomatoes

Stir in spices and vinegar and a little extra olive oil

Mix cooked pasta with sauce

Serve with salad and/or bread

*This dish freezes well in individual containers, just pull out and microwave for quick and easy lunches or dinners!