Pasta With Broccoli And Beans

By Chef Selwyn Richards
Culinary Expert

If your family is like most families, yours enjoys pasta, just as much as the rest. The wonderful thing about pasta is that you can buy whole-grain pasta and cook it in so many different ways. You can also add so many different things to pasta, that you are pretty much provided an endless resource of meals.

Ingredients
1 package whole-grain pasta
1 bunch of broccoli crowns, preferably organic
2 cups of dried white kidney beans

Method
It is preferable to soak the dried white kidney beans overnight. To do so, place the kidney beans in a pot of cold water, cover, and soak overnight. The following evening, rinse and drain the kidney beans before cooking.

To cook the kidney beans, simply place them in a pot of water, covered by about two inches over the top of the beans, and cook for approximately 1 and 1/2 hours. Many individuals like to cook the beans in chicken broth, which, of course, would have to be organic as well, if you are thinking healthy.

Once the beans are tender, to the touch and soft, they are ready to eat.

Cook your pasta according to the package directions and you can cook your broccoli crowns in many ways. Some individuals put the broccoli crowns in the boiling water a few minutes before they add the pasta to the boiling pot of water.

You can steam the broccoli crowns, sauté them in olive oil and garlic, or microwave them. However you choose to do it, just try to choose the healthiest method, which would probably be steaming.

Once your broccoli is steamed and your beans are cooked, place them in a pan with some olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add the olive oil and broccoli. Mix well in the pasta. If you serve this with a salad on the side, your family will be sure to be pleased.

The kidney beans are an excellent source of protein. The broccoli has antioxidants and calcium and, of course, everyone loves pasta. In addition, the best part of the whole meal is that it is healthy, quick, and super inexpensive to create.

Selwyn Richards is an award-winning master chef. He is also the President and Executive Chef at The Art of Catering Inc. and is the author of “The Art of Cooking: Soul of The Caribbean”. Chef Selwyn can be reached at: selwyn@theartofcatering.com or by phone — (905) 619-1059.