This post is sponsored by Barilla, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
I’m obsessed with Greece. I have vowed that at some point in my lifetime I am going to island hop the Greek Isles and see Santorini – the crown jewel.
But until the time I get to see Oia in person, I’ll just dream and make some Greek and Mediterranean food in my own kitchen. I recently found this Barilla Mediterranean Pasta Recipe Builder and it makes it so easy to mix and match ingredients to create all sorts of delicious flavor profiles! I started experimenting with their recipe builder and came up with this recipe for One Pot Rotini Al Fresco!
What is a Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries like Italy and Greece back in 1960. Researchers state that the people living in these regions were exceptionally healthy compared to Americans and had a low risk of many lifestyle diseases, thus, the Mediterranean Diet came to be.
What Foods Are Included in a Mediterranean Diet?
This diet definitely sounds like something I could do! It encourages you to eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, breads, herbs, spices, fish, seafood and extra virgin olive oil. They go on to say that you should eat poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation. On this diet, you should refrain from eating sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, processed meat, refined grains, refined oils and other highly processed foods.
What Kind of Pasta is Good for This Recipe?
In sticking with the Mediterranean Diet, you can’t just use regular old pasta with enriched flour, oh no! To really eat like the Grecians, you need pasta that can keep things light and fresh. For this recipe, I used Barilla Chickpea Rotini that I bought at Target.
Barilla’s innovative Legume pasta is made with one simple ingredient from either chickpeas or red lentils and is a good source of plant-based protein. The Barilla Legume pastas are gluten free and non-GMO, with an excellent source of fiber. And this chickpea pasta truly has only one ingredient in it, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
I recently taste tested these Barilla Chickpea Rotini versus another chickpea pasta product and there was no comparison! I love a pasta that has a nice al dente bite to it and Barilla won the taste test hands down! Both Barilla Chickpea Rotini and Barilla Red Lentil Penne are available at Target and you can buy them here!
One Pot Rotini Al Fresco
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups (750 mL) uncooked Barilla Chickpea Rotini
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1¼ cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves thinly sliced and divided
- 1 oz Parmesan cheese grated
- oil for spritzing
Instructions
- Spray a dutch oven or microwave safe bowl with olive oil. Put the garlic and tomatoes in the bowl. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4–5 minutes. Add pasta, broth, salt, and black pepper.
- Return the bowl to the microwave; cover and microwave on HIGH 10–12 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring after 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baker from the microwave and remove the lid, lifting it away from you. Add the basil and cheese to bowl; mix well. Garnish with reserved 2 tbsp basil and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
