Friday, September 30, 2011

Whole Wheat Pasta

We didn't love whole wheat pasta last time we tried it. I guess it depends what sauce you make with it. Red sauce just didn't work for us. Turns out we prefer a garlicky broth kind of sauce with the whole wheat. Very light sauce. I tried to duplicate a dish we get at one of the local Italian restaurants that we like. This is the one on the pasta list that has the little heart ♥ next to it, meaning it's heart healthy.  The restaurant version has black olives, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms. I threw a little bit more into mine. Broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, yellow tomatoes and fresh peas that somehow weren't eaten all up. And no black olives. Lots of garlic. And a splash of sherry for good measure. I would call this "empty out your refrigerator" pasta and it was really good. Although on the restaurant menu it had a nice long Italian name and it sounded much better than a clean the frig (or fridge, if you prefer!) pasta. But I have a nice cleaned out refrigerator for now.




Empty Out Your Refrigerator Pasta ♥ or Healthier Pasta Primavera
Recipe by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

olive oil for the pan
1 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
(2) 8-ounce packages cremini mushrooms
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 red pepper cut into chunks
1 yellow tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
splash of Sherry
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Do not overcook.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms; sauté about 3 minutes. Add broccoli, salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté for 2 -3 minutes. Add the red pepper and tomato; sauté for another 2 minutes more. Stir in a splash of Sherry and the broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil and simmer for a couple minutes. Add the peas and cook another minute or so. Taste for seasoning and then add the pasta and a little bit of Parmesan cheese; stir well to coat. Remove from heat; and serve with additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Use any vegetables you like, any pasta you like.




Joining 
Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
 

AND



Posted by at 12:13 AM
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47 comments:

  1. PondsideSeptember 30, 2011 at 12:40 AM

    Our son will only serve whole wheat pasta, and TGD and I aren't very fond of it at all. As you mention, it's best with a garlicky/creamy sauce.

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  2. LynnSeptember 30, 2011 at 6:03 AM

    Sounds good! I've only tried WWP once, as I'm sitting here trying to decide what to take for lunch, this would be welcome:@)

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  3. LeniaSeptember 30, 2011 at 6:37 AM

    Love the title,love this great and healthy pasta dish too!Kisses,honey!

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  4. Three-CookiesSeptember 30, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    This looks like, and healthy of course. With certain sauces its difficult to tell the difference between regular and whole wheat pasta

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  5. Debbie@Mountain BreathsSeptember 30, 2011 at 7:37 AM

    We have been using whole wheat pasta for about two years now, and it took some getting used to. But we do love it with our vegggies! Looks great Carol.

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  6. SnapSeptember 30, 2011 at 9:17 AM

    Great way to clean out the frig! I love whole wheat pasta and will try this one.

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  7. JulieSeptember 30, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    We're trying to eat more whole wheat pasta at our house. It takes some getting used to and still isn't quite the same but a great sauce like this one makes all the difference. Delicious recipe.

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  8. KathleenSeptember 30, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    I can't get used to the whole wheat pasta. We don't eat pasta that often, so I will stick with the reg.!
    Glad your family loved it, and you got to use up all your veggies!

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  9. Angie's RecipesSeptember 30, 2011 at 10:08 AM

    I love whole wheat stuff...the pasta looks loaded with flavours, freshness, and fiber!

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  10. Elina (Russian Bites)September 30, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    I love how you can just put so many veggies into a pasta and it always works and really boosts up the nutritional profile of the dish too. This sounds delicious. Maybe it's time to clean out my fridge too ;)

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  11. MarigeneSeptember 30, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    I have been using the whole wheat pasta lately and we really like it. I do think something lighter than a red sauce would probably go better. I have been known to clean the fridge out when making a pasta salad, too!

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  12. SheilaSeptember 30, 2011 at 1:13 PM

    This looks fabulous and it's the way I like to cook. It's fridge day today and I'm procrastinating but harvest soup will be on the stove before too long. Better get busy!

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  13. Pat @ Mille Fiori FavoritiSeptember 30, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    I've been eating nmore whole wheat pasta and I've noticed that if I cook it a little longer than I would a regular pasta I like it better. I love a "clean out the refrigerator sauce" and make them often! :)

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  14. EbieSeptember 30, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    I have tried making whole wheat pasta and used red sauce, nothing bothered our taste buds.

    Hehehe, I like to recycle of what's inside the fridge!

    Enjoy your weekend, we might have rain..

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  15. BarbaraOctober 1, 2011 at 7:13 AM

    I've been using whole wheat pasta for a while now...I really like the nutty, earthy flavor. Mushrooms (and garlic) go perfectly with it! I really like the things you've added to the recipe!

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  16. Beth FOctober 1, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    We eat only whole wheat pasta now. The trick is the al dente cooking -- it's not that great when it's overcooked. I love making clean out the fridge pasta!! Lots of garlic and you can't go wrong. :)

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  17. TheBookGirlOctober 1, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    My husband refuses to eat the whole wheat pasta, no matter what the topping. Someone had a post recently about quinoa pasta, and that is the only non-traditional pasta that he will eat.

    I like this recipe -- the empty your refrigerator moniker is great! I prefer my pasta with little sauce and a lot of veggies, so this recipe is great for me :)

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  18. UniflameOctober 1, 2011 at 8:44 AM

    This looks so good! I love recipes that clean out your fridge :)

    I too have the thing that I only like whole wheat in certain cases. I know it is healthier, but I tend to go for white pasta anyway. So this would be a good thing to try :)

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  19. Heather S-GOctober 1, 2011 at 9:51 AM

    I like whole what pasta...but I personally think it depends on the brand...and the cut of pasta. My kids will devour ww spaghetti, but not shorter, "thicker" types. Go figure. This dish sounds fabulous to me :D

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  20. MargotOctober 1, 2011 at 10:38 AM

    I agree with Heather/GirliChef. We like ww spaghetti but not ziti or any of the other fatter pastas. Your dish reminds me of one I made when my kids were young. They called it Garbage Pasta because I cleaned out all the leftovers which otherwise would have been garbage.

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  21. CarolOctober 1, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    girlichef, I think you are right, definitely brand. I'll have to try spaghetti. I notice some brands are much darker than others.

    LOL, Margot, garbage pasta, I like it!

    Thanks for all the comments :)

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  22. NanOctober 1, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    I eat only 100% whole wheat homemade bread, but I cannot for the life of me eat ww pasta. I just can't. Great recipe though.

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  23. Peaceful ReaderOctober 1, 2011 at 1:45 PM

    Even as healthy as my family is we've had a hard time adjusting to whole wheat pasta. I can't do it every time I make pasta or my kids will literally cry.

    Your pasta looks wonderful though and I love that the fridge was cleaned out after!!

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  24. FaithOctober 1, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    You know, I've been craving whole wheat pasta for a while now and it's time to make it now that I saw your delicious dish Carol. It looks wonderful.

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  25. Beth S.October 1, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    I agree that some brands are better than others. But yeah, I think that the success of the pasta depends on the sauce. I tend to use whole wheat when I make mac and cheese because, well, when you have a thick, creamy cheese sauce, you can't really tell what kind of pasta you're eating anyway. Heck, I could be eating shoe leather and as long as it was smothered in a cheesy bechemel sauce I wouldn't know the difference! :p

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  26. Alicia@ eco friendly homemakingOctober 1, 2011 at 8:48 PM

    Now this recipe is just right up my alley! Looks and sounds great.

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  27. caiteOctober 2, 2011 at 6:57 AM

    I think brands can differ..but I also agree that I think it works better with some sauces than others.

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  28. From Beyond My Kitchen WindowOctober 2, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    I really need to start eating whole wheat pastas. This recipe looks delicious and I'm sure if I were eating it at your house I would be licking the plate. I guess its all about the sauce and veggies when it comes to eating whole wheat pasta. Great looking dish!!

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  29. Dawn @ Words Of DeliciousnessOctober 2, 2011 at 1:45 PM

    This salad sounds really delicious. It so true that we should eat more whole grains for a healthy body. The vegetables also sound great! Yum.

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  30. BethOctober 2, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    My fridge could use a good clean, and I love whole wheat pasta. This definitely looks worth trying!

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  31. black eyed susans kitchenOctober 2, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    We have done the "clean out the fridge" pasta many times. My family is not a fan of whole wheat pasta, but I will give it another try with a healthy dose of garlic.

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  32. AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 6:19 PM

    this is a fantastic recipe! love the addition of the mushrooms. I know wholewheat pasta can be a challange! I like the Barilla plus - have you tried it?
    Mary x

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  33. Food JauntsOctober 2, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    Yum! I love those light vegetable laden pastas. Without the heavy sauce it really lets the flavors of the vegetables shine.

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  34. Gardening in a SandboxOctober 3, 2011 at 7:30 AM

    This recipe is a real can do recipe as most things are generally in the frig anyway. I do like whole wheat pasta but am having trouble getting my husband to like it. He prefers the white. Thanks for posting it. V

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  35. JoanneOctober 3, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    I really love the nutty taste of whole wheat but it definitely takes some getting used to! I feel like when you're distracted by all these great veggies in the sauce, you barely even notice the flavor of the pasta!

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  36. Judith @ Lavender CottageOctober 3, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    WW pasta is something you like or don't, it is much chewier than the white. We've tried it a couple of times and DH refuses to eat it so I'm back to cooking the plain old white stuff.
    I like your simple recipe.

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  37. CalogeroOctober 3, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Pasta? Very very good.

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  38. SavoringTime in the KitchenOctober 3, 2011 at 7:30 PM

    The first time I tried WW pasta I didn't care for it either. Maybe the garlic and all those great veggies would do the trick!

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  39. Belle WongOctober 3, 2011 at 10:46 PM

    I like the sound of clean out your fridge pasta! Anything with tons of garlic always sounds good to me.

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  40. mia xaraOctober 4, 2011 at 1:42 AM

    I'm not really sure my men would go "whole wheat",I haven't been able to convince them so far..I'll just stick to regular pasta and will use everything else!!XO

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  41. Cathy at Wives with KnivesOctober 4, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    I love this kind of dish where I can use up all the bits of this and that in the fridge. We've never been whole wheat pasta fans but I know it's good for us.

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  42. RitaOctober 4, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    Love the name and the look of that pasta; I am having a hard time convincing my husband that whole wheat pasta is a good thing.
    Rita

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  43. VeeOctober 4, 2011 at 9:01 PM

    We had a hard time becoming accustomed to whole wheat pasta. Now we prefer it. Thanks for the recipe. I'm always looking for economical, use-it-up recipes.

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  44. The TablescaperOctober 5, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    This looks great. I find there are only certain sauces that I can use the whole wheat pasta with - the sauce has to be able to stand up to it.

    - The Tablescaper

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  45. Sweet And CrumbyOctober 6, 2011 at 2:07 PM

    Oh this pasta dish looks fantastic. I have a fridge that needs cleaning...maybe I should make that tonight.

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  46. Sook @ My Fabulous RecipesOctober 7, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    It took me some time to get used to whole wheat pasta.. now I love it!

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  47. Mama's WorldOctober 10, 2011 at 2:42 AM

    Rasta Pasta!! Looks Gud

    http://gharkhana.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

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