Whole Wheat Penne Primavera (Meat-Free for Lenten Fridays)

I tried out another recipe from my Turbo Fire recipe book a while back, and sort of forgot about it.  But since we're about halfway through Lent, and it happens to be a meatless dish, I thought I'd share it in case anyone needs a tasty meat-free meal idea for this coming Friday.

Now, the way I prepared this meal is a bit differently from the original recipe, mostly because of what I had on hand in my refrigerator.  So I'll give you the run down of what I did when I made it.


Turbo Fire Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera (my version)
Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat penne
• 1 small zucchini, sliced thick
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
2. Steam broccoli and zucchini until heated through but still crisp tender, usually about 8 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute garlic.
4. Add tomatoes and saute until skins begin to split.
5. Drain pasta, and add pasta and steamed vegetables to skillet, toss.
6. Add spinach and toss until wilted.
7. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning, then add lemon juice.  Toss to combine.
8. Serve with cheese on the side.

That's it!  It took about a half an hour start to finish, including cutting up the zucchini and broccoli.  I served this with Pillsbury breadsticks, but you could use garlic Parmesan toast or just slices of crusty Italian bread - whatever you like!  It's a very light dish, as well, and makes a delicious lunch.  You can get about six servings if you're eating it for lunch, about four if it's served for dinner.