Whole Wheat Penne with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables

On Wednesday as I do often, I found myself pulling a meal out of my you-know-what or more realistically out of “nowhere.” We have all found ourselves in similar situations: you come back after a long day of work with limited fresh, readily accessible ingredients in your fridge and you are just too tired to go grocery shopping. So what do you do? Make something up.

Voila: Dinner.

I have made similar hodge podge meals before but this was pretty unique as it combines non-traditional vegetables with pasta. First off I used whole wheat penne because it’s good for you. Second, I used sweet potatoes and edamame because I wanted these ingredients in something. Next I went pantry searching. Near the end I did add shrimp because I wanted to have enough for both my mother and I but you don’t need it so I’m making that an optional ingredient. (So technically I can list this as a vegetarian recipe.)

The veggies really take the show on this one so let’s them have a few lines and maybe even a dance number. My mother just went on Weight Watchers today so yes, I know have to be conscious. Reading her “manual” this morning I found that sweet potatoes were 3 points! Seriously? That’s why I will never diet and just eat veggies instead.

There is not much to say about this recipe except, enjoy it, make it your own. I’m listing low-fat cream as an ingredient but try Greek yoghurt for a little creaminess without well....cream cheese. (Warning: It will not blend as well as cream cheese, just saying.) I do add a tiny amount of parmesan which as a hard cheese is good for you so use it okay?

Not quite sold on adding edamame and sweet potatoes to your pasta? Understandable, so was my mother. But the wine sautéed sweet potatoes are so good you honestly can’t even tell you are eating sweet potatoes. Delicious.

Whole Wheat Penne with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables: 

4-5 dinner sized servings

Ingredients:

1 box of whole wheat penne (1 lb.)

1 large sweet potato, peeled, thinly sliced and quartered (looks like carrots)

1 cup frozen edamame, thawed

1 cup canned or fresh mushrooms

1 jar of roasted red peppers, thinly sliced (roughly 8 oz.)

2 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into large chunks

4 green onions or scallions, thinly sliced (white separated from green)

2 tablespoons low fat cream cheese

½ cup of grated parmesan cheese

3-4 tbsp. of fat-free milk

½ bottle of dry white wine (375 ml)

1 garlic clove, minced

Sea Salt

Black Pepper
Garlic salt if needed

Olive oil

10 leaves of fresh Italian green basil, chopped

10 leaves of fresh purple basil, chopped

1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

Optional:

• desired amount of thawed and peeled shrimp
  rind of the parmesan thrown into pasta water for extra flavor
  
  
  

  

Directions:

In a large pot bring salted water to a boil with parmesan rind. Add penne and cook for 8-9 minutes depending on box instructions. Once cooked, drain pasta and toss rind.

In a large wok or pan, heat a little olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Immediately add sweet potatoes and begin to lightly brown. Once browned, add half amount of the wine with dash of salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and chopped green onion whites (put the green stalks aside.) Stir occasionally so mixture does not burn.

Once sweet potatoes absorb wine, pierce with a fork to test doneness. The potatoes should be soft and tender. If still hard, add rest wine and simmer for a few more minutes.

With wine remaining, add red peppers, tomatoes, and edamame and mix into wine. Add desired salt and pepper.

Allow the vegetable to absorb about half of the wine. You should have a thicken sauce forming. Take off heat and whisk in cream cheese until smooth. Mix in cheese until smooth. Add most of green onions and mix. Add milk until a creamy sauce forms.

Once mixed, gently fold cooked pasta into the sauce mixing together. Scoop pasta into large bowls or plates. Sprinkle remaining fresh green onions on top. Eat immediately.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

What are you doing this weekend? Anything fun?