Lentil Pasta (WFPB, VEGAN)

Looking for a quick & easy throw-together meal that can be ready is less than 20 minutes? Simply boil some organic red lentil pasta, drain & toss with sauce! Keep these 2 pantry staples on-hand so you can always be just minutes away from a home-cooked, healthy & nutritious meal/snack! If you have it, tare some fresh, organic basil & add to this dish for extra herbal nutrition & flavor!

For the pasta, I recommend finding an organic brand that contains only legume flour. The "Tolerant" brand is organic, not made in China & has grain-free options for those with allergies/sensitivities. Unlike many other brands, "Tolerant" does NOT contain filler ingredients like rice, pea xanthan gum etc. Note that legume pasta takes less time to cook than traditional semolina pasta (7-9 min. versus up to 15 min), is packed with phyto-nutrients, fiber (~ 9 grams) & protein (~ 21 grams)! Due to the high fiber content, be sure not to exceed the serving size! Since legume pasta is not refined, it contains all of the fiber found naturally in the bean/legume, so just be aware that you're eating beans/legumes! This is not a refined starchy carbohydrate that you can eat in giant American-size portions! ;)

I also recommend stocking-up on a sauce that's organic, no-sugar-added and not too high in fat and sodium. My personal favorite is the butternut squash sauce by "Sonoma Gourmet". It's a bit high in sodium, and therefore may not be appropriate for those who need to maintain a low-sodium diet. If you prefer more tomato flavor/color, I recommend keeping some organic tomato paste on-hand to mix-in with the butternut squash sauce. Always good to layer-on more colorful plant nutrition! Mixing the butternut squash sauce with tomato paste also makes for an excellent pizza sauce.

If you want a more decadent pasta experience, that is reminiscent of "alfredo sauce", try my vegan cashew "cream" sauce or my vegan cashew basil "cream" sauce. Each of these mix well with pasta sauce & also taste great on their own.