Recipe: Rigatoni with Red Peppers and Spinach

RIGATONI WITH RED PEPPERS

"Cooking up pasta with red peppers and spinach produces a wonderfully tasty, colorful and healthy dish. The addition of spinach makes this a satisfying mixture. The subtle sweetness of the red peppers is balanced by the acidity of the tomatoes and the earthy taste of the spinach. The Parmesan cheese with its unique bite and basil's Mediterranean quality complete the taste."



12 oz. rigatoni, whole-wheat preferred
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, deseeded and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 oz. fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided use
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Cook rigatoni according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup water. Return pasta to pot to keep warm.

While pasta cooks, in skillet heat oil over high heat. Stir in onion, peppers and tomatoes. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Saut , stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, add spinach and continue to saut until vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted, about 5 more minutes.

Add vegetables, reserved pasta water and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese to pasta and gently toss to combine.

To serve, top pasta with basil and remainder of Parmesan cheese.

This pasta dish makes great leftovers. Simply refrigerate, reheat and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Per 1 1/2 cup serving: 282 calories, 6 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 49 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 171 mg sodium.

SERVING SUGGESTION:
You can serve this dish with a salad made of tomato wedges, thickly sliced cucumber and thinly sliced onion. Dress the salad with a mixture of equal parts of olive oil and fresh lemon juice, a dab of Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste. You might also want to include some hearty, crusty pumpernickel bread.

ABOUT PEPPERS:
Peppers are an ancient food that originated in Central and South America. They have been cultivated for literally thousands of years. They found their way to Europe in the 1500s with the colonization of the New World. When buying, choose peppers with vivid color and taut skin. Make sure they are free from soft spots and blemishes.

Source: the American Institute for Cancer Research