Lions Plate: Pasta with Vegetables

By Julia Kuzman
Correspondent

I started my Instagram blog, @anythingbutramen, to inspire people to eat healthy foods. When I moved into my first apartment as a college student, I found that I was completely overwhelmed when it came time to cook. I researched healthy meals, and thought about the delicious balanced meals my mom would make. I found out the hard way how difficult it was to make these meals while on a realistic budget.

Throughout this process, I shared my creations with my family. I wanted to show what I was doing to a bigger audience, as well as help others, so I started my blog. Although it has been challenging, I have so much fun creating meals and hearing that I have helped people realize that having a healthy lifestyle in college doesn’t have to be difficult.

This dinner is a great way to get in your daily serving of vegetables while still enjoying a bit of pasta. The possibilities are endless when it comes to making adjustments to this pasta dish. Swap out the pasta for a gluten free option such as brown rice pasta or even a high protein option like chickpea pasta. I served mine with olive oil, but you can also choose to top it with marinara instead.

Store the vegetable medley and pasta in separate containers to ensure freshness. Scoop both into a bowl and place in the microwave for 60-90 seconds if you want to reheat it.

1. Fill up a pot with water and bring to a boil.


2. Add penne and cook for 10-13 minutes.


3. Chop vegetables.


4. In a sauté pan on medium heat, drizzle olive oil and add garlic.


5. Add vegetables, salt and cracked pepper, cover with a lid and let sauté for 5-7 minutes or until slightly soft.


6. Strain pasta over sink.


7. Place vegetables in the pasta strainer over a paper towel to get rid of any excess oil.


8. Mix desired amount of vegetables with pasta along with any other toppings of your choice.