Summer Pasta Primavera

Courtesy of Chef Gerard Viverito, CEC, CHE

Recipe by Chef Gerard Viverito, CEC, CHE

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound asparagus, thin spears
• 1 cup green spring peas
• 1 cup fresh fava beans, shucked
• 2 heads endive, cored and julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 pound Racconto® Essentials Heart Health Penne with CoroWise plant sterols
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat, adding 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Blanch peas, asparagus, and fava beans for 5 minutes, less if smaller, then lift them out of simmering water and plunge into ice water bath. Drain, pat dry and set aside. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces on angle and add to bowl. Pop fava beans out of skins and reserve beans. Combine asparagus with endive, red bell pepper, cooked pasta, green peas, favas, and chopped parsley. Heat shallot and oil in small pan on stovetop over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Allow oil to cool back to room temperature. Pour vinegar into small bowl and whisk in agave and cooled shallot oil. Pour dressing over salad and mix. Season salad with salt and pepper to taste.

Marathon Pasta

Courtesy of Chef Gerard Viverito, CEC, CHE

Recipe by Chef Gerard Viverito CEC, CHE

Makes 4 servings

[Editor's note: Pasta in photo is topped with skinless chicken strips.]

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 dozen Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise
• 1 pound Racconto® Essentials Heart Health Penne with CoroWise plant sterols
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped

Directions

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pan. Add tablespoon of salt, then penne or other pasta. Stir once, and cook for 12 minutes or until al dente. Drain and reserve half a cup of the water to adjust sauce consistency later, if needed.

Meanwhile, place saucepan over medium heat; add oil and onions. Sweat until translucent; add garlic, cooking until soft and aromatic. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, and fennel seeds. Simmer for 10-20 minutes or until some of tomato juice has evaporated and sauce has thickened. Puree with immersion blender if desired for smoother consistency. Stir in olives and cook to heat through. Season with salt and pepper (to taste). Toss pasta with half the sauce and transfer to warm bowl. Top with more sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil and serve.

Healthy Pasta The Saturday Evening Post

Check nutrition labels at local and online stores for pastas, breads, and snack foods with these three “super” ingredients to boost fiber consumption, lower cholesterol, and control your appetite:

Plant sterols

Derived from corn and soybeans, plant sterols help reduce artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels by blocking cholesterol absorption in the gut. Consuming 800 mg of the sterols each day lowers LDL by 8 percent to 15 percent within four weeks, say federal health experts. People with high cholesterol may benefit from higher amounts, up to 2 g daily.

A new line of pastas and pasta sauces called Racconto Essentials Heart Health is fortified with 400 mg of CoroWise plant sterols per serving. The pasta also provides 28 percent of the daily fiber recommendation and is low in fat.

Chef Gerard Viverito, Director of Culinary Education
Courtesy of Gerald Viverito

Chef Gerard Viverito, Director of Culinary Education for Passionfish blends traditional recipes with nutritional ingredients for healthful results, a style of cooking that he refers to as “functional cooking.”

Click here for two Racconto pasta recipes created by Chef Viverito exclusively for Post readers.

Other products with plant sterols include: Benecol,
 Promise, and Smart Balance margarines;
 Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise Orange Juice,
 Kroger Active Lifestyle Fat Free Milk,
 Health Valley Heart Wise Cereal 
Nature and Chewy Granola Bars;
 Oroweat Whole Grain & Oat Bread;
 Right Direction Cookies;
 CocaVia Milk Chocolate Bars; and VitaTops muffin tops.

“To ensure you are getting an optimal amount of cholesterol-lowering plant sterols, look for the CoroWise logo on the label,” suggests Dr. Joe Keenan, a leading researcher on micronutrients for the heart, including plant sterols. “Combined with 45-60 minutes of aerobic exercise five to six days a week, you can help to significantly lower your risk of heart disease and still enjoy foods you love to eat!” 

Resistant starch

Commercial bread products with a Hi-Maize resistant starch logo contain a type of starch that staves off digestion until reaching the colon, where it may contribute to digestive health and offer other key benefits. Whole grains, fruits, and legumes are naturally rich in resistant starch (RS).

Click here http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/06/25/wellness/general-health/food-in-the-news/type-fiber.html to learn more about RS and foods that contain it.

Salba (chia)

The tiny seed of the Salvia hispanica L. plant, better known as chia and widely available online, is surprisingly nutritious. Sprinkling 2 tablespoons of Salba (a commercial chia seed product studied at the University of Toronto) on a serving of hot cereal, yogurt, and other food adds about 3.6 g of omega-3s and 6 g of fiber, along with calcium, iron, magnesium, and other nutrients to one’s diet.

For more information, products, and recipes, visit http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/02/11/wellness/general-health/research-front/wholegrain-promise.html

Eat for Health The Saturday Evening Post