Lighten up the holidays with one-pot pasta dish
It’s a light, nutritious meal that’s quick, easy.
“How are you taking care of yourself ?”
This month, it’s the question I’m asking everyone, from my best buds to the grocery store clerks. You know why? Because December is equal parts laugh-till-youcry and ugly-cry meltdowns. I’ve done both (after sending out 150 typo-bearing holiday cards), and we’re just a few weeks into the holiday crush.
Here’s how I’m fortifying my mind and body for the season: I’m walking more. Drinking extra water. And on the nights that I’m not fa-la-la-ing at a holiday happening, I make light, nutritious meals that are a culinary yin to the canape yang. My current 20-minute favorite? A virtuous, one-pot pasta that is so easy, you’ll enjoy it during all of the other months, too.
The basic recipe goes something like this: Put dry noodles in a big pot. Add only enough good-quality, low-sodium vegetable broth to cook the noodles. The justright amount means you don’t have to drain the noodles at the end. It’s a small trick that feels like a big deal when you realize you’re off the hook for locating that pesky colander.
I suggest throwing some veggies into the mix. Plain noodles are for toddlers; we are embracing this month like bona-fide adults. I used cherry tomatoes because their bursts of simmered tomato goodness take the place of added sauce. Peeled garlic cloves infuse the pasta with savory notes. Fresh baby spinach, which wilts during the 5-minute rest period at the end, is an easy boost of color and vitamins. For extra protein and fiber, I also add a can of drained chickpeas, which are sometimes sold under their secret identity name, garbanzo beans.
Stir it all together, and you’ve got a low-fat version of the clas-