Recipe:
If you struggle with eating enough greens, try blending them into a creamy sauce to serve on pasta! This spinach cream sauce is smooth and silky with a vibrant green color and a slightly cheesy flavor.
Spinach is one of my top ten beauty foods for its exceptional content of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help keep eyes clear and bright. It also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and alpha-lipoic acid, which have anti-aging effects.
Pair this rich sauce with chickpea pasta and you will have a filling meal that delivers a healthy dose of protein, too.
Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
8 oz chickpea pasta (or whole grain pasta)
Optional: cherry or grape tomatoes
Instructions:
In a blender, combine cashews, spinach, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt and blend until smooth.
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente, around 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Add sliced cherry or grape tomatoes if desired.
Yields: 4 servings
Per serving: 315 calories, 15.3 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 6.6 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 10.5 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 349 mg sodium, 83 mg calcium, 0 g omega-3 fats, 1833 IU vitamin A, 10 mg vitamin C, 0.2 mg vitamin E, 5.1 mg iron, 1.2 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.