Nutritious and Delicious Pasta

Hello! I'm going to share a really easy pasta recipe that tastes like a healthy twist off of spaghetti. I enjoy it because it is easy, yummy, healthy, and can be refrigerated and eaten throughout the week or shared with my roomies. 

Taste: Delicious, it tastes like it would require a lot more effort then it does. It is flavorful and a yummy combination of healthy foods. 

Ease of Preparation: This recipe takes about a half hour to make. It requires no earlier preparation besides going to the grocery store. The pasta is what takes the longest to cook, other then that the other ingredients are quick to toss in the mix! The best part is that if you make it for yourself it can last the whole week! 

Ingredients: 

3 cups of whole grain rotini

2 carrots (as shown in picture)

1 head of broccli 

1 1/2 cups of sugar snap peas

1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce

4 medium boneless & skinless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Boil water in a medium pot and add rotini, cook until soft.

While the rotini is cooking:

2. Spray frying pan lightly with vegetable oil and cook chicken until done. ( I salt and pepper mine)

3. Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

3. Chop carrots and cut sugar snap peas in half.

4. Cut broccoli into pieces about the size of your thumb.

5. Put veggies in a bowl with 1/2 cup water and steam them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Once rotini is finished:

6. Drain water from pasta

7. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl

8. Warm marinara sauce in microwave or on stove, mix it in with the rest.

Bon Appetite!

Specific nutritional value: 

Serving size: about 1 1/2 cups

total fat: 5g

total carb: 40g

total protein: 26g

cholesterol: 49mg

dietary fiber: 6g

sodium: 56mg

potassium: 345mg

sugar: 5g

Vitamin A: 115%

Vitamin C: 58%

Calcium: 4%

Iron: 13%

Why are these nutrients so important?

Nutrients in Broccoli: contains a large amount if vitamin K, C, and A. Vitamin C is a very important antioxidant that helps keep chemical reactions within our bodies in check, and our body also requires vitamin C to produce collagen.
Nutrients in Sugar Snap Peas: a very good source of dietary fiber and potassium. Dietary fiber can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. 
Nutrients in Chicken: chicken is a great source of lean low-fat protein. This will keep you feeling fuller longer and also give you the protein your body needs to repair itself daily. 
Nutrients in carrots: contain a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants prohibit and sometimes even prevent disease. 
Nutrients in rotini: Whole-grain pasta is a great source of carbohydrates, which are an important macronutrient your body needs daily to keep energized. 

This recipe creates a pretty well balanced meal. As you can see it contains complex carbohydrates, protein, many vitamins and minerals, and a small amount of fat. I would suggest drinking milk on the side to incorporate dairy in your diet. I would also suggest eating your favorite fruit on the side. 

Ashlee Lawson