Quinoa Spaghetti with Garlicky Greens and Tomatoes

For the most part, my family has been eating whole grain pasta for as long as I can remember (which translates since having kids, lol). I got hooked on whole grains right after my son was born when I was trying to lose baby weight while following South Beach Diet. South Beach really got me in a healthier frame of mind when it came to eating well, always making sure to include whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and lean proteins into my daily diet. Eating this way eventually just became my lifestyle.

Lucky for my family, since I do most of the cooking, it’s their lifestyle too. 🙂

When making pasta I usually opt for whole wheat varieties, I really love the nutty earthy flavor of whole wheat pasta so that’s what we normally will have. Every now and then though, I like to try something new so I usually will pick up a different grain pasta whenever I visit the health food store or if something in the organic section of my grocery store catches my eye. Quinoa pasta is one of my favorites and to me is very close to eating regular pasta flavor-wise, but so much better for you! It cooks up a lot quicker than whole wheat pasta so it’s such a great option for fast weeknight meals. I’ve recently been buying this brand from Costco, not sure if they carry it at all Costcos but I like it a lot.

This quinoa spaghetti dish was inspired by a recipe found on the side of a bag of shredded collards I picked up at the store the other day. Kale or spinach would be a great substitute for the greens as well, but I really liked trying out the collards since I don’t cook with them often. It was so light and fresh (and healthy) that I couldn’t resist. My kids ate the spaghetti with just a little olive oil, salt and pepper with their tomatoes raw on the side, but my husband and I devoured (ok, so maybe I devoured) ours as shown.

I could seriously eat this Quinoa Spaghetti with Garlicky Greens and Tomatoes every night. (with extra Parmesan of course!)

Print Recipe

Quinoa Spaghetti with Garlicky Greens and Tomatoes

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 oz package quinoa spaghetti (I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta, but you could always use regular or whole wheat)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 large handfuls shredded collard greens
• 1 lemon
• big pinch salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare pasta according to directions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil gently in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes; remove and set aside. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to pot along with shredded collard greens, tossing greens to coat with oil. Saute greens for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until greens are wilted. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, and garlic to pot. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and juice from 1 lemon over pasta mixture and gently toss. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with lots of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

A light and fresh summer pasta you can feel good about eating. Slightly adapted and inspired by Nature's Greens Shredded Collards bag.