Tomato Basil Pasta
I don't care that it's summer and also a steady 95°, pasta is good year round.
Quote me on that.
Pasta is unquestionably one of the better things in life. There are a handful of really, truly beautiful things in this world. Family, friends who feel like family, waking up before the sunrise, the warm yellow light reflecting on everyone's face around a bonfire, s'mores, Christmas time, Adam Sandler movies, and pasta. There are definitely a few items left off the list, but my mind is stuck on pasta. Especially pasta that takes relatively no effort to make. Blessed by the little things, aren't we?
This pasta takes about 15 minutes to make and tastes muy delicioso!!
Banza is a company that uses chickpeas (garbanzo beans) to create a pasta that has far more nutritional value than your average noodle. The creators of Banza are geniuses, really. This pasta has double the protein and quadruple the fiber than normal pasta!! If you're not in the mood to go all out with meatballs, chicken, or another source of protein to round out your meal, Banza is the dish for you since it's chock full of the stuff. And it's also actually really good so Banza is the dish for everyone. Again, quote me.
Tomato Basil Pasta
Things I used:
1 box of Banza's Rotini Pasta
Sprouts Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce: I adore this pasta sauce!! It's made of tomatoes, tomato puree, olive oil, basil, fresh onions, sugar, salt, fresh garlic, dried onion, dried garlic, black pepper, and parsley. This sauce does have a bit of sodium in it. However, if majority of the foods you're eating are whole-food based, home-cooked meals, over consuming sodium shouldn't be much of an issue for you. On the other hand, if your sodium intake tends to go a bit overboard, it is very easy to find a pasta sauce that has low/no sodium content! Just read your nutritions facts and ingredient labels to ensure you're making a smart choice for you.
Sides of Sugar Snap Peas from Trader Joe's & a simple salad are optional but amped up the nutrition value of the meal, so of course I went for it!
How I did it:
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. (Be cautious of foam forming across the top of the pot, simply use a ladle to remove it. Also be sure to check your pasta before the 7-9 minutes are up, it tends to cook quicker than you'd expect it to!)
Drain the pasta into a colander in the sink, then place the pasta back into the pot
Add the pasta sauce into the pot and stir until it has evenly coated the noodles
Plate and ENJOY! Buon appetite, friends!!
