Put a Little Spring in your Step with Less Prep

By Kay MacInnis, Registered Dietitian with Providence Health

Don’t you just love the longer days?! They provide a great chance to get out and exercise, work in the yard and just be more active! No excuse now why you can’t get those 10, 000 steps in! For me, the longer days means I want to be in the kitchen a little less, and I am always on the hunt for quick and tasty recipes, like this one!

Making sure that we get our exercise in is so very important because it is a vital player in our health, and one that is pushed aside too often for other things.

This recipe checks the boxes for quick, tasty and nutritious! There’s minimal pots to clean up, and that means I can get outside and go for a walk. All the evidence about healthy eating is accompanied by regular exercise…150 minutes a week if possible plus two days of strength training!

Lemony Linguine with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients

• 8 oz whole-wheat linguine or fettuccine
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• 3 ½ c water
• 1 9 oz package frozen artichoke hearts
• 6 c mature spinach
• 2 c peas, fresh or frozen
• ½ c grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ c half and half
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 3-4 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation

1. Combine pasta, garlic, salt and pepper in a large pot.
2. Add water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Boil, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes.
4. Stir in artichokes, spinach, and peas and cook until the pasta is tender and the water has almost evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes more.
5. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup cheese, half and half, lemon zest and lemon juice to taste.
6. Let stand, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
7. Serve sprinkled with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Nutrition Information: 372 cal, 7 gm fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 64 gm carbohydrate, 581 mg sodium, 18 gm protein

Recipe Source: Eating Well March/April 2018
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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Health in Columbia, S.C.

Kay promotes health and wellness, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She works in consultation with the trained chefs at Providence, combining her nutrition knowledge with their food prep know-how to create delicious, healthy dishes for patients and the public. She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.