Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas

The assertive flavors of broccoli rabe and rosemary are paired with sturdy chickpeas in this satisfying pasta dish. When buying broccoli rabe, check to make sure the bottoms of the stems are relatively tight, green and moist. If the broccoli rabe at your store is past its prime—or if you prefer a milder taste—use broccolini or regular broccoli instead. Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

2 servings, 2 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ounces whole-wheat orecchiette, or chiocciole (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup vegetarian chicken-flavored broth, (see Note)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/8 teaspoon dried
• 1 8-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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Preparation

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli rabe are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Drain. Rinse and dry the pot.
2. Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the broth mixture. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Add chickpeas, vinegar, salt, pepper and the pasta mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through and coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Note: Chicken-flavored broth, a vegetarian broth despite its name, is preferable to vegetable broth in some recipes for its hearty, rich flavor. Sometimes called “No-Chicken Broth,” it can be found with the soups in the natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Nutrition

Per serving: 413 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 74 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 14 g fiber; 655 mg sodium; 448 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (240% daily value), Vitamin A (210% dv), Iron (25% dv), Calcium (20% dv).

3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 4 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Mexican Polenta Scramble

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 poblanos or 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 16-ounce tube prepared plain polenta, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, preferably sharp
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cumin and salt; cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes start to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Crumble polenta slices into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Serve the scramble topped with diced avocado and toasted pepitas.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Pepitas, olive-green-hulled pumpkin seeds, are commonly used in Mexican cooking and are a perfect snack when roasted and lightly salted. Find them in the bulk-foods section of natural-foods markets, Mexican grocers or at melissas.com. To toast pepitas: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 315 calories; 20 g fat (6 g sat, 8 g mono); 20 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 6 g fiber; 600 mg sodium; 645 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (220% daily value), Calcium (45% dv), Vitamin A (35% dv), Folate (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 high fat meat, 2 fat