Roasted broccoli, asparagus, and pea pasta, with mushrooms and capers
You’ll get your fill of healthy greens with this pasta dish. Broccoli contains high levels of calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for your menopause bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. Along with calcium, broccoli is also full of other nutrients like magnesium, zinc and phosphorous. Combined with asparagus amongst its many nutritional benefits has chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. That's good news if you're watching your blood sugar.
Great if entertaining and delicious served hot or cold. It’s health on a plate and tasty too!
Serves: 4 - 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
250g tender stem broccoli
2 bunches of asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 4cm pieces
250g whole wheat penne pasta, we used spelt penne
100g frozen peas
2 tbsp olive oil half for the roasted veg, half for the mushrooms
knob of butter
250g chestnut mushroom, sliced
1 fat clove of garlic, crushed
60g grated parmesan
Small bunch each of flat leaf parsley and basil, finely chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
50g pine nuts, toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Preheat the fan oven to 200c. In a large baking tray, toss the broccoli and asparagus in half the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 12-15 minutes. Toast the pine nuts in a dry non-stick pan until golden and set aside.
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta as directed. Whilst the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, throw in the minced garlic, stir the garlic for a minute, add the mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 mins or until the mushrooms are golden.
Just before the pasta is done, add the frozen peas to the water to defrost and heat through until pasta is al dente. Toss the drained pasta and peas in with the mushrooms and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Once the veggies are done, combine them with the pasta along with the capers, parsley and basil. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan. Enjoy!