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Breast Cancer Awareness Week continues. Today we are moving on to something healthy. Walnuts. Did you know that walnuts contain the most antioxidants of all nuts. Antioxidants help protect the body for the cellular damage that contributes to breast cancer, other cancers, and heart disease. Walnuts are also the richest in omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight inflammation. Plus they are a great way to get healthy unsaturated fats, which are usually found in fish.
I thought this pasta was perfect to highlight the walnuts, and get a healthy meal. It is meat free, but still filling from the nuts. You could use any veggies here. Saute them in heart healthy olive oil, and serve over whole grain pasta. A little bit of arugula mixed in would be wonderful. Arugula is a rich source of certain phytochemicals that have been shown to fight cancer-causing elements in the body. Arugula is also a great source of folic acid and Vitamins A, C and K. It is one of the best vegetable sources of Vitamin K, which provides a boost for bone and brain health. So this really could be a powerhouse of a meal.
I made this for lunch one day, and I loved it. I am honestly not a huge fan of walnuts, but sauteed in the olive oil, with the pasta, and the zucchini it was just perfect. A little crunch, and little chewy, salty, savory, and just good! I think even my meat loving husband would be a fan of this one. As soon as I get more walnuts, I will be making it for him.
Toasted Walnut Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried pasta
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Parsley
- Parmesan Cheese, optional topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- In a skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the walnuts, breadcrumbs, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-6 minutes, lightly toasting the walnuts.
- Add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until you can start to smell it.
- Right before the pasta has finished cooking, remove 1/4 cup of water and add to your walnuts. Stir well.
- Pour in your drained pasta and mix well with the walnuts. The more you stir it together, the more it will form almost a sauce and stick to the pasta.
- Season with salt & pepper to taste, and serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now that’s what I call a healthy and beautiful pasta dish. 🙂 Great recipe for a wonderful cause. 🙂
I’m not much fo a walnut fun but this dish is definitely screaming out to me!
I’ll have to make this when hubby is on-call…it looks amazing!!!
What a great pasta! I love nuts in a pasta dish. This is both healthy and tasty – what a winning combination.
this is a pretty plate of pasta! just right for beautiful women all over the world!