Penne with Lemony Greens

Hey, everyone! Today is the last post about getting your greens, so I want to make sure I give you a really good recipe and some really good tips about keeping greens in your diet. Today's recipe serves one to two, so it's perfect when you're home alone and you can only use what you have to make dinner. 

Keeping greens in your diet can be a big challenge. My parents struggle with it a lot for sure. It's not the fact that we dislike greens (we LOVE them!), but it's that we just don't know exactly how to use them. Green smoothies are always a great option, but what else can you do? Cooking with vegetables generally takes at least a little bit of effort, so using your greens can be daunting.

So what do you do? First of all, you need to actually have a variety of green veggies in your fridge. Kale, spinach and lettuce are the most common, and should probably always be in your fridge. Lettuce is great for salads, sandwiches, wraps, cold dishes, lettuce wraps, and more. Kale and spinach work for all of the previously listed items, plus I like them in a stir-fry, soup, pasta dish, pesto sauce, green smoothies, and more. Then, think about how you're going to use the veggies you have. Pick a different method every time; it inspires you to keep using your greens, keeps things interesting, and gives you some creativity. For example, I made Penne with Lemony Greens (recipe below) a few days ago, and then made a pesto with kale and mint the next day. My kale was useful for both of those dishes, and since it had a different use for each dish, I didn't get tired of it at all! 

Look at what you have and how it can make a dish. Remember that you can do any combination of spices to mimic flavors from around the world. Try to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with some basic staples, like spices, whole-wheat pasta, whole grains, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lemons, nuts, cans of beans, and more. Combine those simple ingredients with some of your greens and your special spices to create an amazing dish! Honestly, some of my best dishes have been created on use-what-you-have days. You just add as you go. It's a very free style of cooking that may take some practice, but you'll get the hang of it!

Want an example? Let's say you have a can of white beans, some kale, canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices, and other sorts of simple staples in your house. You have NO IDEA what to do with it. My suggestion would be to turn it into a soup! Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Add the tomatoes, the spices and the beans, then pour in some vegetable/chicken broth. Simmer it for awhile and then add the kale until it wilts. If you so desire, you could add pasta or rice to this too. It's super easy, and the only ingredient that isn't in your food supply every day was the kale. You could also turn this into a pasta sauce (take out the broth). 

Onto the recipe. I came up with this recipe a few nights ago when I was told to fend for myself for dinner. My dad was eating leftovers that were about to go bad, and since they only served one, I had to get creative. We have a ton of green veggies sitting and rotting in our fridge (like kale, chard, broccolini, broccoli, spring mix and heads of lettuce), so I knew I had to make use of what I could salvage. The night before, my dad brought home some mint for me so I could make a Mediterranean dish. How was I going to use the mint and all my green veggies? I solved my problem with this recipe. This was made with things I just happened to have at home, but you may not happen to have them at your house, and that's okay. Every fridge is different. Remember that you can always substitute the ingredients. Use whatever leafy green veggie you like, and supplement any other veggie for the broccolini if you don't have any. Broccoli works too, as do green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, or whatever else you like. You can use basil or parsley instead of mint, or omit the herbs completely. It's all up to you! That's the great thing about cooking. It's an expression of who you are and what you like. The recipe is just a framework for you to cook around, so be creative! 

Penne with Lemony Greens 
Serves 1 - 2 (I ate all of it, but it's a BIG serving!) 

Ingredients
3 oz whole-wheat penne pasta 
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 - 4 large leaves of kale 
1 cup broccolini/broccoli florets
1/2 of a small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
The juice of 1 extra-small lemon 
3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint 
Salt and pepper, to taste
(Optional) A couple tablespoons of pine nuts (for garnish) 

Preparation
1. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package (until al dente). Drain in a colander and briefly rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add it back to the pot. Cover the pot and set it aside on the stove.

2. While the water is boiling, wash the leaves of kale. Using a large knife, remove the thick areas of the stem. Chop the kale as finely or coarsely as you like. I prefer mine on the smaller side. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Stir well and let sit until they start to brown slightly. DO NOT TOUCH THEM: this is very important in making them semi-caramelized! Add the garbanzo beans, kale, broccolini/broccoli, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and let steam for about three to five minutes, until the kale and broccolini/broccoli are a vibrant, dark green. Taste-test a veggie if you're unsure. Quickly add the lemon juice and stir well. Remove from heat. 

4. Combine the sauteed veggies with the cooked pasta in the pot. Add the feta and mint and mix well. To serve, if desired, sprinkle with pine nuts. 

There you go! I hope you enjoy this recipe, and that you can make a variation of it when you're home alone with nothing to eat. You could also double/triple it and serve it to your family on a weeknight. It may seem like it takes awhile, but if you prep and saute the veggies while the pasta is cooking, you can get it done in 20 - 30 minutes. It only took me about 25 minutes to create this off the top of my head. If you try this out, please share it with me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #teenscancooktoo. Make sure you're keeping track of Teens Can Cook, Too by following us on all the social media sites below: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teenscancooktoo (@teenscancooktoo)
Instagram: http://instagram.com/teenscancooktoo (@teenscancooktoo)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Teens-Can-Cook-Too/113579778813832

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiKFPsBoLhYw2W42P7LvKQ  

Also, on the Instagram page, I will be asking followers to vote for the theme next month. Please log in and vote for the theme. I want to make sure you guys are seeing what you want to see so I can help you on your journey to being healthier!

Stay healthy!
- Madeline