Well here we are, it is officially spring! Warmer weather and fragrant flowers are upon us. It is one of my most favorite times of the year. With so many birthings happening in nature, we can feel that potential, that energetic awakening, in our lives and in our own bodies the more we tune in!
We very much want to support that beautiful energy in your body, which can fuel your creative projects and your joy with simple and delicious, nourishing meals. My personal life with my kids and family and my professional life is busier than ever, which is why I continue to seek out easy-to-make but healthy meals.
My Kale and Tomato Gluten-Free Love Pasta recipe is the perfect solution for those super-busy days when time is limited and you need a healthy meal more than ever.
I love to make this for my boys (Papa and my sons), and it’s super easy, plus packed with protein and nutrients!
Want to jump down to the recipe? Click here!
Terrific Tomatoes
Whether they’re Roma, heirloom, cherry tomatoes, or one of the many other kinds of tomatoes out there, these amazing fruits (yes, they are fruits) are packed with amazing health benefits.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of nutrients like fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. They’re also a very good source of lycopene and beta-carotene, two important antioxidants that keep you healthy.
Tomatoes are an especially great source of lycopene— the redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has! This amazing antioxidant may not only help you avoid catching the seasonal ick that goes around each year, but it may also protect you from some cancers as well as heart disease! [1] It’s also very good for your skin, and may protect you from sunburns.
The Colossal Health Benefits of Kale
Leafy greens like spinach and kale are well-known for their myriad health benefits, but in recent years kale has been regarded as a superfood.
Kale is a rich source of nutrients like vitamin K and vitamin C. It’s also a great source of antioxidants like beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, which keep your eyes healthy and helps protect them from disorders like cataracts!
On top of being nutrient-rich, kale is also a low-calorie and high-water content food, which can help you keep your weight in a healthy range and help keep your LDL (bad) cholesterol to a minimum.
Why I Choose Coconut Oil ☺
I prefer to cook over heat with coconut oil. However, you can of course swap out if you prefer. (If so, please cook at a lower temperature. 🙂 )
Coconut oil is an excellent source of medium-chain triglycerides, which can help promote weight loss by helping your body burn calories more efficiently.
Coconut oil also has antimicrobial properties, helping to inhibit the growth of bad bacteria that can make you sick. It’s also wonderfully nourishing for dry skin, and can reduce skin irritation caused by atopic dermatitis.
You can also use coconut oil for oil pulling, thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
Fast, Healthy Meals Should be Accessible
As busy people, we need to have easy meals available to us, and this is one of them!
This simple kale and tomato pasta dish is fast, easy, and super nutritious— perfect for those days when we have so much on our plates, but maybe not so much time to spend cooking.
I just put salt and pepper to taste in the recipe, but you can add whatever you want on top of your pasta! Crushed red pepper, nutritional yeast (especially if you want a healthy plant-based alternative to parmesan cheese), fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice… the possibilities are endless!
I recommend you serve it with a large green salad. And I like to top my own portion off with a ton of sprouts or microgreens on top, which adds a big serving of nutritional density.
If you try this recipe, tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation! Don’t forget to share this on Pinterest with your pasta-loving family and friends too.
With much love and gratitude,
Kale & Tomato Love Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large Roma tomato (cubed)
- ½ head medium Lacinato or curly kale (destemmed and chopped)
- 8 oz gluten-free lentil or quinoa pasta (my family loves ziti, but you can use penne pasta, spaghetti, or whatever you have)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- sea salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions.
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Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
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Add the cubed tomato and the kale, and saute for 3 minutes or so, until the veggies soften.
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Toss in the freshly cooked pasta, as well as the seasonings. Serve fresh. Easy peasy!
More Amazing Pasta Recipes
Pasta isn’t just tomato sauce and spaghetti noodles— there are so many colorful and interesting pastas to make! Here are 5 more of my favorite pasta recipes, for any kind of night.
- Sunchoke Mushroom Broccoli Gluten-Free Pasta
- Sun-Dried Tomato Zucchini Pasta
- Feel Satisfied Rainbow Gluten-Free Pasta
- Roasted Beets & Greens Gluten-Free Pasta
- Sweet Potato “Pasta” Salad with Garlic-Basil Dressing
Citations
- Story, Erica N, et al. “An Update on the Health Effects of Tomato Lycopene.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, 2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22129335/.
The post Kale & Tomato Love Pasta (Gluten-Free & Vegan) appeared first on Solluna by Kimberly Snyder.
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