Sunday, March 8, 2009

Greek Pasta

I love cooking healthy. Well, I also love cooking unhealthy (fried chicken, for example) but it leaves you with that full, bloated, greasy feeling...you know what I mean? Last weekend I was looking for something (a) easy and quick to put together (b) mostly free of fat, esp. unhealthy fats - I'm always okay with olive oil, nuts, etc. and (c) something nutritious with vibrant flavors. I thought something more ethnic would be fun, too, but I'm a bit burnt out on Asian-inspired dishes and Mexican wasn't sounding so wonderful.

I ended up finding a highly-rated Green Chicken Pasta recipe. While I almost decided to make the recipe word-for-word with chicken, Brett agreed that a vegetarian version would be even more healthy - of course we aren't vegetarians but meat can be overrated on occasion.

If there is one word to describe this dish, it's
flavorful. There isn't really a sauce, per se, but moreso a bit of melted feta coating the entire dish that is lemon-y, garlic-y, with sweet red onion and artichoke hearts throughout. I served with a loaf of Asiago bread and some olive oil with herbs and sweet vinegar for dipping. This dish will certainly be on my go-to list in the future and has sparked a bit of inspiration of me...I'm on the lookout for a good Mediterranean cookbook now!

Greek Pasta

1 lb uncooked pasta - penne or rotini
1 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red onion, chopped
14 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 jar Kalamata olives, drained
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese (I used low-fat, can't tell the difference)
2 TBS lemon juice
parsely, oregano, salt, pepper to taste
grilled, sliced cooked chicken (optional) or shrimp

1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. In large skillet, sautee garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is translucent and tender. Add artichoke hearts, tomato, olives, lemon juice and herbs (and cooked chicken/shrimp if applicable.) Stir and let heat through for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add feta cheese and pasta; toss, heating through for several minutes. Serve.



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