Pasta with Greens and Feta

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Ingredients

2/3 pound penne pasta
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups spinach, washed and chopped
1/4 cup water
2-1/4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

This quick and easy pasta dish is both flavorful and flexible. Instead of spinach greens could include arugula, watercress, or endive. For a more substantial meal add roasted or grilled squash, eggplant, or peppers. It’s easy to send to school, too, because pasta holds up well to dressings and moi

Submitted by:
Chef Ann Cooper Chef Ann Cooper is a renegade lunch lady. She works to transform cafeterias across the nation into culinary classrooms for students, centered on regional, organic, seasonal and sustainable meals. For more, pick up her book Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children.

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Make It:

1. In a large pot of salted water cook the penne pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Saute the onions in oil until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes. Add the spinach and water to steam the spinach, and cook for three more minutes. When the spinach has wilted add the pasta and toss to heat through.

3. Add lemon and pepper and toss again. Top with feta cheese and serve.

Clean It:

For a bigger nutritional boost to this delicious dish, opt for whole wheat pasta.

Green It:

Grow your own spinach! Leafy greens are surprisingly easy to grow. Even if you don't have a yard, you can grow them in containers (which is sometimes preferable even if you have a yard because it's easier to keep the rabbits away!)

Make It Fun:

Okay, it may be redundant, but try growing your own! Kids love growing things, so it's fun, it's more eco-friendly, and it's the cheapest way to eat organic.

Image Courtesy Of: Ingorr