three recipes included
Ever run into a “repeat meal rut”? The kind where you just don’t have it in you to give that extra push for something new to create? Well friend, here’s a jet pack outa there.
I’ve even included 3 gluten free vegetarian pasta recipes that, from a cost per Calorie basis, earn an “A grade” … Hello affordable and easy Mediterranean. Read on for a link to our keto breadsticks recipe.
7 easy ways out of the pasta rut…
- Make it Fresh: cook the noodles al dente (less time) and then add finely chopped raw veggies. Serve it cold with regular balsamic and you’ve got a fancy salad for the main.
- Add Pesto Sauce (a little goes a long way!). Cutting calories but want the flavor? Puree some fresh basil! This is also a yummy swap-out for the cheese on the toasted bread.
- Pizza Pasta: add your favorite red sauce and toss with your favorite cheese & “toppings”. (Tomatoes are Not Lectin Free)
- Combo: Mix Lentil and Garbanzo noodles together, or experiment with different noodle shapes!
- Switch Up your olives and use a different kind of cheese
- Kalamata Olives + Trader Joe’s Creamy Syrah Toscano // Black Olives + Smoked Gouda // Green Olives + Sharp Cheddar // new olives + new cheese …
- Casserole-It: cook your noodles a little longer, mix ingredients together, top with cheese and gluten-free bread crumbs and bake it! 350°F for 25 minutes covered + 5 minutes uncovered. (A life-saver for overcooked noodles!)
- Pasta Bar! Separate ingredients into different bowls, maybe include a few extra toppings and “build your own pasta”! If your kids are old enough to grate cheese, pass the cheese grater around the table and take a load off.
It’s kind of silly how small changes can make eating the “same meal” a little fancy and fun, yeah?
Maybe you need a totally different direction. Well, I hope these budget-savvy pasta recipes help lower your stress and earn an easy spot on your weekly menu.
First up: Speedy Lentil Pasta
Four servings makes enough for two meals that satisfies both Josh and myself, plus our little one. If you have a family of four big eaters, then I recommend doubling the recipe. It won’t change the grade – you’ll still be looking at an A meal!
Pictured left: a different rendition than the recipe posted. Have fun playing with different ingredients; you’ll diversify your nutrients as well as give a refreshing change to the flavor.
This version: goat cheese, green olives (rinsed), and cauliflower. Side salad of spinach with a simple balsamic + olive oil dressing.
It’s so simple and quick, I actually look forward to making this dish. My favorite part is that there are endless numbers of veggies you can add to create a new recipe practically every time!! Consider switching up your spices or adding a simple sauce to do the trick (be Calorie, sugar, and sodium “wise” by checking nutrition facts and ingredient labels).
There are a lot of ways to make this affordable and nourishing meatless main a hit, without striking out on time.
Speedy Lentil Pasta
Equipment
- large pot, knife, cutting board, steamer or pot with a steamer insert, stove, large bowl or corning ware, spoon
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz Red Lentil Rotini Barilla or Trader Joe's
- 5 cups Organic Broccoli chopped
- 20 each Kalamata Olives
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil we like California Olive Ranch
- 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar or more
- 2 oz Goat Cheese
- ½ tsp Thyme ground
- ½ tsp Rosemary crushed
- 1.5 tsp Black Peppercorn fresh ground
Sides
- 5 slices Rudi's Gluten Free Multi-Grain Bread or our Keto Bread-sticks
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil we like California Olive Ranch
Instructions
- In large pot, bring water to a boil and then add (one 8.8oz box) of pasta — cook per package instructions. Note: if you're using Banza brand – it seems to cook faster than Barilla. I suggest rinsing the noodles a minute or more before suggested cook time. Know your stove!
- Rinse the noodles under cold running water, drain and add to your bowl or Corning ware. (I typically need 1 large and 1 medium Corning ware containers). Mix in the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and seasonings to coat and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking: Cut your fresh broccoli to your liking, or unpack your frozen broccoli into a steamer or to a pot with 1 inch of water and a steamer insert. Cook for about 4 minutes, strain, and add to the pasta. Note: when I use frozen broccoli cuts, I will sometimes cut the broccoli into smaller pieces after I'm done cooking it. For a softer veggie, steam a bit longer.
- While the broccoli is cooking: (see a time-saving trend here? #timers) slice your olives to your liking. I prefer two cuts short-wise into 3 small pieces, or long-wise in half. Add to your pasta and toss together.
- Sprinkle the 2oz of grated Pecorino or crumbled goat cheese on top, or mix into the pasta. The MAIN dish is now complete!
Side
- Toast the bread and brush with olive oil. Then, spread the goat cheese on, or sprinkle grated pecorino cheese on top. If you want to melt the cheese after toasting the bread (and you don't have a toaster oven), simply place the cheese bread into a pan, cover with a lid and cook on very low heat until ready.
Notes
- This can be made into a vegan meal by substituting in vegan cheese.
- The white wine vinegar is a low-cost healthy trick for adding a salty flavor without adding a bunch of sodium. Feel free to add more if it suits your taste buds!
- If you’re concerned about sodium content, consider decreasing the number of olives to half and switching to black olives. Check the package ingredient list – olives in water have less salt than in a brine solution. Be sure to rinse thoroughly before use.
- Nutrition Facts Panel below includes calories & data from the side dish listed on the recipe.
Nutrition
More Programming Notes
Try this recipe served chilled for a fun twist or summer picnic!
There are SO many veggies than can be used in this recipe…clean out your fridge! I used broccoli here, with chickpea pasta and a side of cheese bread.
You could even use beet greens (from purchased beets) as a bonus freebie, like in our Speedy Chickpea Pasta. This move brings the cost down to $7.80 for this recipe, or $374 per month: an even better A grade.
A Note on Lectins: If you are choosing to avoid lectins, try pressure cooking your vegetables and pasta. While some veggies have more lectins than others (ex: zucchini has lectins, broccoli does not), preparation methods can also help diminish the number of them. For instance, peel and de-seed the zucchini, or just peel it and pressure cook it to help with this.
Pressure cooking in general is an great way to preserve vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can be destroyed when exposed to a lot of heat.
I really enjoy adding an extra crunch from chopped raw bell peppers (they add a fun splash of color too). For the purpose of writing a complete recipe for those choosing to be lectin-free, I omitted them. They’re also a D grade item from a cost per calorie basis and an F item if purchased Organic (recommended) – so we using them sparingly – mostly when in season and for special events.
$ – SAVVY: if we added a chopped bell pepper to this recipe, which has 8.8 oz of Barilla pasta, and we assume the cost of a pepper is $1.28, we’d be looking at $10.50 for this recipe and $473 per month (of only eating this meal). On a cost per calorie basis, that brings this recipe down to a B grade.
Pining for a Bell Pepper ??
Check out this “A grade” variation that serves more people and includes a bell pepper: Red Lentil Pasta for Everyone!
Try this version if you have a big crowd to feed or your growing adolescent athlete just ate your entire pantry for a snack.
Red Lentil Pasta for Everyone!
Equipment
- large pot, knife, cutting board, steamer or pot with a steamer insert, stove, large bowl or corning ware, spoon
Ingredients
- 12 oz Trader Joe's Organic Red Lentil Sedanini one package
- 7 cups Organic Broccoli full 32-oz frozen package
- 30 each Kalamata Olives or black
- 1 each Yellow Bell Pepper
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil we like California Olive Ranch
- 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Thyme ground
- 1 tsp Rosemary crushed
- 2.5 tsp Black Peppercorn ground
Sides
- 7 slices Rudi's Gluten Free Multi-Grain Bread or our Keto Breadsticks
- 2 oz Pecorino Romano Cheese or goat cheese
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- In large pot, bring water to a boil and then add (one 8.8oz box) of pasta — cook per package instructions. Note: if you're using Banza brand – it seems to cook faster than Barilla. I suggest rinsing the noodles a minute or more before suggested cook time. Know your stove!
- Rinse the noodles under cold running water, drain and add to your bowl or Corning ware. (I typically need 1 large and 1 medium Corning ware containers). Mix in the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and seasonings to coat and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking: Cut your fresh broccoli to your liking, or unpack your frozen broccoli into a steamer or to a pot with 1 inch of water and a steamer insert. Cook for about 4 minutes, strain, and add to the pasta. Note: when I use frozen broccoli cuts, I will sometimes cut the broccoli into smaller pieces after I'm done cooking it. For a softer veggie, steam a bit longer.
- While the broccoli is cooking: (see a time-saving trend here? #timers) slice your olives to your liking. I prefer two cuts short-wise into 3 small pieces, or long-wise in half. Wash, core, and cut up your bell pepper (I prefer mine diced). Add the peppers and olives to your pasta and toss together.
- Sprinkle the 2oz of grated Pecorino or crumbled goat cheese on top, or mix into the pasta. The MAIN dish is now complete!
Side
- Toast the bread and brush with olive oil. Then, spread the goat cheese on, or sprinkle grated pecorino cheese on top. If you want to melt the cheese after toasting the bread (and you don't have a toaster oven), simply place the cheese bread into a pan, cover with a lid and cook on very low heat until ready.
Notes
- This can be made into a vegan meal by substituting in vegan cheese.
- The white wine vinegar is a low-cost healthy trick for adding a salty flavor without adding a bunch of sodium. Feel free to add more if it suits your taste buds!
- If you’re concerned about sodium content, consider decreasing the number of olives to half and switching to black olives. Check the package ingredient list – olives in water have less salt than in a brine solution. Be sure to rinse thoroughly before use.
- Nutrition Facts Panel below includes calories & data from the side dish listed on the recipe.
Nutrition
Here’s a shortcut link to our Keto Breadsticks!
$-SAVVY: From a cost per Calorie basis, we’ve found organic broccoli to be the biggest organic “bang-for-your-buck”. It’s also a cruciferous veggie, which means it packs a powerhouse of phytochemicals that encourage good enzyme activity in the liver and promotes a healthy gut microbiome and happy colon. BONUS feature: it’s a “clean-15” item, so feel free to use regular broccoli if you want to cut costs even further.
For an easy holiday flare: Try adding red pepper to complement the green broccoli !
The Plant Protein Dilemma
Maybe you’re concerned about not getting enough essential amino acids if you don’t include meat or animal protein. Let’s talk a bit about this. First, let’s recall amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Our bodies are incredible and are able to create a number of these amino acids without depending on food as the source for this process. There are 11 of these “non-essential” amino acids.
Then, there are what we call the (nine) “essential” amino acids. These are the protein building blocks we need to acquire from food. Animal protein contains all of the essential amino acids. Plant protein contains some of the essentials (with the exception of quinoa, soy, buckwheat and Ezekiel Bread – which contain all of the essentials). This is why we often pair different plant proteins to create a “whole” or “complete” protein, so that the body has all the pieces it needs to grow, repair and thrive.
Fun Fact: Did you know that, counter to what was commonly believed, we do not need to take in every single essential amino acid at every meal? The human body is smart. It can utilize the sum of the amino acids eaten during the day to create what we need!
In other words, if you’re eating a vegan or even strict vegetarian diet, so long as you take in sufficient complementary plant proteins throughout the day, your body will work to coordinate and create all of the different protein you need.
This is really good news.
It means we can craft fancy vegan or vegetarian meals with less stress and fuss of trying to calculate what amino acid might be missing. These pastas are chocked full of protein as well as loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, plus fiber to keep you feeling full longer.
Are You Looking for a creamier noodle?
Our favorite pick for casseroles, gourmet mac n’ cheese, or a cool noodle salad fit for a picnic: Chickpea Pasta!
These noodles are not only yummy, they’re versatile and forgiving. I’ve accidentally overcooked them a few times and ended up with one of our favorite vegetarian comfort foods. If you’re concerned about overcooking these, be sure to set a timer a couple minutes short of the package instructions and be ready to drain them right away, under cool running water. Always rinse thoroughly.
Toddler Tip: My little one still looks at beet greens a little sideways, but she’ll chow down on a side of broccoli, so I usually set aside a few extra noodles for her to make meal prep easier. She’s a quick grower so I also add a little extra olive oil to her pasta, and to her broccoli that I steamed a little longer than everyone else’s.
You’ll notice that this pasta dish is very similar to the above recipes, but the big swinger here is the free beet greens – a bonus from purchasing whole beets! This means you can add a side of extra veggies and not break the budget. WIN-WIN.
Speedy Chickpea Pasta
Equipment
- large pot, knife, cutting board, steamer or pot with a steamer insert, stove, large bowl or corning ware, spoon
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz Chickpea Rotini or chickpea pasta
- 2 cups Beet Greens remove from purchased beets
- 20 each Kalamata Olives or black olives, rinsed
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil we love California Olive Ranch
- 1 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar store brand
- 2 oz Pecorino Romano Cheese
- ½ tsp Thyme ground
- ½ tsp Rosemary ground
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1.5 tsp Black Peppercorn fresh ground
Sides
- 7 oz Organic Broccoli cut
- 5 slices Rudi's Gluten Free Multi-Grain Bread or our Keto Bread-sticks
- 1 oz Goat or Pecorino Romano Cheese Costco
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil we love California Olive Ranch
Instructions
- In large pot, bring water to a boil and then add (one 8.8oz box) of pasta — cook per package instructions. Note: if you're using Banza brand – it seems to cook faster than Barilla. I suggest rinsing the noodles a minute or more before suggested cook time. Know your stove!
- Rinse the noodles under cold running water, drain and add to your bowl or Corning ware. (I typically need 1 large and 1 medium Corning ware containers). Mix in the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and seasonings to coat and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, wash and cut your beet greens. I like to roll the leaves and slice them thinly for longer strips. You do you.
- Add beet greens to steamer or to a pot with 1 inch of water and a steamer insert. Cook for about 4 minutes, strain and then add these to the noodles, toss together.
- While the beet greens are cooking (see a time-saving trend here? #timers) slice your olives to your liking. I prefer two cuts short-wise into 3 small pieces, or long-wise in half. Add to your pasta and toss together.
- Sprinkle the 2oz of grated Pecorino or crumbled goat cheese on top, or mix into the pasta. The MAIN dish is now complete!
Sides
- Cut your fresh broccoli to your liking, or unpack your frozen broccoli into a steamer or to a pot with 1 inch of water and a steamer insert. Cook for about 4 minutes, strain, place in a serving bowl and toss together with ½ tbsp olive oil and desired seasonings. (avoid salt)
- Toast the bread and brush with remaining ½ tbsp of olive oil. Then, spread the goat cheese on, or sprinkle grated pecorino cheese on top. If you want to melt the cheese after toasting the bread (and you don't have a toaster oven), simply place the cheese bread into a pan, cover with a lid and cook on very low heat until ready.
Notes
- This can be made into a vegan meal by substituting in vegan cheese.
- The white wine vinegar is a low-cost healthy trick for adding a salty flavor without adding a bunch of sodium. Feel free to add more if it suits your taste buds!
- If you’re concerned about sodium content, consider decreasing the number of olives to half and switching to black olives. Check the package ingredient list – olives in water have less salt than in a brine solution. Be sure to rinse thoroughly before use.
- Nutrition Facts Panel below includes calories & data from the side dish listed on the recipe.
Nutrition
Roll and thinly slice your beet greens (be sure to use the stems too!) 
Saute the greens while noodles cook 
Add white balsamic to taste!
Note: this post’s cover image pasta recipe contains zucchini and red pepper. Both are expensive from a cost-per-Calorie perspective and both contain lectins. Pressure cooking veggies after removing skins and de-seeding them is the easiest way to minimize exposure to lectins in these foods. The version pictured did not take lectins into account.
| Barilla Chickpea Rotini | Organic Beet Greens | Grass Fed/Finished Ground Beef |
| Barilla Red Lentil Penne (or TJ’s 12oz Sedanini) | Organic Broccoli Cuts (Clean 15) | Free Range Chicken/ Turkey/ Costco or Sam’s Club $5 chicken |
| Kalamata Olives (this is usually a slightly smaller glass jar for ~$7) | Bell Peppers | Goat Cheese (Costco- best deal or Sam’s or TJ’s) |
| Black Olives or Sam’s Club bulk | Large Organic Carrots | Pecorino Romano Cheese (or Sam’s) Il Forteto brand has WAY less Sodium |
| Green Olives | Organic Spinach | Daiya Cheddar Vegan Cheese |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil (organic) | Cauliflower Florets (clean 15) | Garlic Powder (organic) |
| White Wine Vinegar | Shallots | Chopped Garlic |
| White Balsamic Vinegar | Onion | Rosemary |
| Nutritional Yeast (as part of the dish or on toast) | Smoked Paprika (or TJ’s) | Thyme |
| Coconut Oil (extra virgin) | 21 Seasoning Salute (TJ’s) or THIS (organic) | Black Peppercorn |
TJ’s = Trader Joe’s
