Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe

Try this delicious recipe that incorporates vegetables and carbohydrates into your meal plan.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces of fettuccine
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, stems removed
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth, low-fat, low-sodium
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 15-ounce can of cannellini (white kidney beans) rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and place in large mixing bowl. In a blender, add olive oil, garlic, spinach, basil, parmesan cheese and chicken broth. Mix well until leaves are blended. Pour sauce over pasta. Mix until pasta is well coated. Add beans and red bell pepper. Lightly toss and serve.

Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1/4 of recipe. 360 calories, 6 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 330 milligrams sodium, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 62 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 16 grams protein.

Diabetic Exchange
Fruit: 0; vegetables: 1; meat: 0; milk: 0; fat: 1; carbohydrate: 4; other: 0.

Diabetic exchanges are calculated based on the American Diabetes Association Exchange. Exchanges are rounded up or down equal to whole numbers.

Recipe courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Find more healthy recipes.

For More Information
To learn more about Sharp's nutrition services or to find a Sharp-affiliated physician, search for San Diego doctors or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. To find general information about nutrition, read the Nutrition News archive.