infraredherring.com » Dinner: Healthy and Yummy!

I’ve been trying to eat more healthy and live more healthy recently, and gradually have started to develop recipes that are both yummy and healthy. Keep in mind that I definitely fall into the lives-to-eat category, rather than eats-to-live.

So in pursuit of my quest, here’s what I made for dinner: Spaghetti with broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach. This is the first time I’ve used whole wheat pasta, and I have to say that I taste no flavor difference between normal pasta and whole wheat pasta. A good-sized portion of pasta, including parmesan on top, is only 6 WW points. Leaves you with room for dessert or garlic bread!

The sauce was flavorful and savory, due mostly to the addition of two tiny little anchovy fillets. If you’re currently thinking “Yuck, anchovies?!!”, well, that was my reaction too. I still remember the time when Rick brought an anchovy pizza to Yo-Yo Club, and it was so foul, we couldn’t even be in the same room as the pizza. It went completely untouched, and was thrown away within the hour. Even Rick wouldn’t eat it.

However, the two tiny anchovies in this sauce are completely undetectable as fish, and they just add a savory flavor to the sauce, similar to garlic, but richer. Adan ate this without a peep, and he hates anchovies. I still haven’t told him the sauce had anchovies in it ;)

The good thing about this recipe is also how easily it lends itself to being eaten over several days. I usually dislike eating leftovers, but since the veggies, pasta, and sauce can be stored separately, they taste much fresher when combined and nuked the next day.

Spaghetti with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Spinach
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti (1 box)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced finely
1 cup broccoli florets
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
10 oz. frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained (1 package)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 fillets anchovy
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
6 tablespoons grated parmesan

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and spaghetti. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 of diced onion, a small pinch of salt, stir and sweat for 4 minutes or until translucent. Add broccoli florets and sliced mushrooms. Toss to coat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add spinach and stir up mixture, and cook just a minute until heated through. Move veggies to a bowl and place skillet back on medium heat.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in skillet and add the rest of the diced onion and a small pinch of salt. Stir and sweat onions for 4 minutes. Add garlic, basil, and oregano and stir. Add anchovies and mash them with the edge of your spatula, mixing them in with the onion and garlic. Add crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

4a. To serve one serving at a time: put 1/6 of the spaghetti in a bowl, add 1/6 of the veggies, 1/6 of the sauce, and stir to combine. Microwave it to get it piping hot and let the flavors combine. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan and enjoy!

4b. To serve all at once, put the veggies and pasta all into the sauce, stir to combine everything, and cook for a couple of minutes to let the flavors combine. Plate, sprinkle parmesan over each serving, and enjoy with friends!

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