Friday, April 23, 2010

Pasta with Zucchini, Tuna & Almonds

This could easily become my favorite pasta recipe.  I didn't know what to think about the whole tomato mixture that you throw together before you start, but I have to say.. it was the BEST part about the recipe.  It added this amazing flavor to the pasta.  And the cherry tomatoes, well they just add that... you know that... that thing that makes a dish damn close to perfect...yea, that's what it was like!  If you aren't a tuna fan, you could make this with chicken or just leave the protein out all together.  Chris likes pasta more if it has a protein in it and since I crave pasta once a week (I can't help myself, it calls me), I try and make it so that he'll enjoy it just as much as I do!  In trying to continue to be as frugal as I can be, tuna is cheaper then chicken, so it worked out that it was all I had on hand too!


Pasta with Zucchini, Tuna & Almonds
Adapted from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cups dried ziti pasta
1 (5 oz) can white albacore tuna, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups zucchini, cut into rounds, then into quarters
1/4 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
3 Tablespoons chopped almonds
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbls dried)
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add 2 teaspoons oil, tossing to coat.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add zucchini; sauté 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Add almonds and tuna and remove from heat.  Pour over pasta and toss to coat.  Pour tomato mixture over pasta and toss once more to coat.  Enjoy! 

(Nutritional Facts - 1 serving = 1 1/2 cups: 344 calories; 12g fat; 58mg cholesterol; 45.5g carbohydrates; 14g protein; 5.3g fiber; 3.4mg iron)

4 comments:

  1. I bet this is damn good Jenn! Like a grown up tuna noodle casserole :)

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  2. Wow, I haven't tried pasta with tuna in it. Sounds healthy and delicious. :)

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  3. This looks gorgeous. I have been eating dinner out every night for work this week and this looks SO homey and inviting. What delicious flavors in here and even semi healthy... Salvation in a bowl!

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  4. What did you do to get the third picture to be colored so well? It occurs to me that all of us are so preoccupied with inventing stuff that we don't find time to try each other's stuff.

    But your last tilapia recipe is on my to-do list.

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