Should You Cleanse? + A Summery Chopped Kale Salad with Grilled Strawberries

Different quick-fix diets are always trendy, and more recently, everyone has been all about "cleansing," especially when it comes to juicing. Cleanses are nothing new-- the infamous Master Cleanse (tea, lemonade, maple syrup and cayenne pepper) has been around since the 1940s, but the recent interest in health-conscious eating has caused dieters and healthy eaters alike to turn to juice cleanses in hopes of detoxifying their bodies and maybe shedding a few pounds in the process. 

The healthiness of these cleanses has been debated, and while I plan to go into some of the pros and cons of juicing at the end of this post, I first want to add in a personal anecdote.

Now let me just specify something-- everyone's body is different and can handle different food groups, longer periods of time without eating, different dietary choices to function, etc. I don’t cleanse because I know it won’t work with MY body. I know personally that if I don't eat every few hours, my brain becomes cloudy, I get irritable and I can't focus. I also have a relationship with food that goes beyond just nutritional nourishment-- I love the taste of a satisfying dish, and creating different recipes gives me as much pleasure as actually enjoying the food. Drinking liquids all day just leaves me craving the sensation of chewing, a crunch in my mouth, food being swallowed. 

With that being said, juice cleanses make no sense for ME. I get a plethora of fruits and vegetables in my everyday diet, I need solid food to feel grounded, and if I ever feel like I have been consistently eating poorly and need to "detox" my body, I stick to fresh fruits and vegetables and clean foods like quinoa and legumes—food groups that make me feel good both mentally and physically, but also keep me feeling satiated.

Does this mean I won't have a green smoothie for breakfast on occasion? No. But for me, the negatives of a juice cleanse definitely outweigh the positives. Juice cleanses are too high in sugar for me, make me feel like I'm not eating varied meals and probably aren't necessary for me, considering our bodies naturally detox themselves, and I am not lacking in plant-based nutrients.

So when would a cleanse be good for someone? A short cleanse could be beneficial for a person who has consistently poor eating habits, who is lacking in essential nutrients, and who may need a drastic way a kick start healthy eating habits.

If you do decide to do a cleanse because you think your body needs it, try this Dr. Oz Detox Cleanse, as it is sure to be balanced and includes other essential nutrients that aren’t just found in fruits and vegetables.

So now, as promised, here are just a few of the pros and cons of undertaking a cleanse. Take a look at this list and try to be in touch with your body to see if this makes sense for you. 

Pros:

• Juice cleansing can be a good way to get in an abundance of concentrated nutrients from fruits and vegetables, especially if your diet is currently poor
• You are giving your body a break from toxins such as refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, gluten and processed foods
• It gives your digestive system a break while still allowing you to absorb nutrients easily
• Some people report feeling more energetic, lighter and clearer while on a juice cleanse.

Cons:

• You lose important fiber when you juice. Fiber helps with heart health, digestion and satiety (feeling full), so you lose those benefits from your produce when you juice them. 
• It can be expensive. You either have to buy an expensive juicer, or you can do a preset cleanse, which can cost $70 and upwards. 
• Juicing can be high in sugar and calories, due to the concentrated amount of fruit juice in many drinks. If you want to minimize sugar and calorie intake, stick to vegetable-heavy drinks rather than fruit ones. You can also balance out the nutrients by adding protein to your drink such as almond butter or Greek yogurt. 
• You're leaving out important nutrients only found in other food groups.

Additional, in-depth research may be necessary for you to decide before undertaking a detox. I can tell you right now, though, if this is just a way to lose weight, cleansing is not the answer. This would fall under the category of an ineffective, quick-fix diet, with only temporary results. Any weight you may lose in a day or two WILL return, and you might even slow down your metabolism in the process. 

Now onto the recipe! This salad may be the next best thing to juicing. Filled with fruits and vegetables, it is the perfect amount of sweet and savory that reminds me of a tropical summer-- and grilling strawberries in coconut oil is one of the best things I have discovered! I will definitely be eating those again.

Summery Chopped Kale Salad with Grilled Strawberries

Ingredients:

Two big leaves of fresh kale, chopped finely

2 green onions

1/2 an avocado

5 medium strawberries

A handful of fresh basil, chopped

1/3 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

A handful of microgreens

Parsley

Cumin

Olive Oil 

Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 Limes

1 tsp coconut Oil

1. Chop your kale finely, then massage by pouring a little bit of olive oil over the leaves and kneading with your hands. Chop basil and avocado and set aside.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan on medium heat. Add the green onion stalks and whole strawberries onto the pan. Cook until outside is well done (just a little blackened) and flip the strawberries a few times to cook on all sides. Onions and strawberries should look grilled. Set them aside.

3. In the same pan, toss the chickpeas for about 1 minute with a generous sprinkle of both parsley and cumin.

4. Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl (or arrange them beautifully!) with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with the juice of one or two limes, depending on how much lime flavor you want on your dressing.

Optional: I didn't try this, but after I finished, I thought it might be tasty to add a little bit of unsweetened, shredded coconut to enhance texture and bring out the tropical flavor. Let me know what you think if you decide to give this edition a try!

(Serves 1)

Reading Food Labels + Lemony Garlic Spaghetti Squash

It has been awhile since I have last posted, and I apologize greatly (again, I know). You all have been asking me to update my blog, and I promise I want to! I'm cooking everyday, it's just so easy to get caught up in the rush of my life, and sometimes I need to remind myself to take a moment to just sit down and write. I've been experimenting with a lot of new tools and flavors recently, so hopefully I will be having some interesting recipes coming your way in a more steady stream of posts.

To get the ball rolling, I decided to post a very simple recipe. Sometimes I forget that not everyone likes to spend all day chopping and preparing like I do, so I thought it might be nice to include a recipe for those who like to keep it easy.

Now before I begin with the recipe, I wanted to go ahead and talk a little bit about food labeling. I know I have touched on it before, but as I'm out shopping or getting food with people, I begin to realize more and more that people don't read labels. Or, rather, they don't know how to read food labels or know which labels to read. Half of the reason this blog exists is because I want to educate others on nutrition, so I've put together some tips o what you need to know about food labels:

• A label that says "NATURAL" means nothing. There are no official FDA guidelines for "natural," and plenty of junk foods slap a "natural" label on the front to attract customers. What people need to pay the most attention to are the ingredients on the back as well as the fat, sugar, and sodium content. Remember, not all calories are created equal, so that's not always the best way to solely judge your food. 

• Look out for hidden sugars: I mentioned this in my previous post, but I wanted to elaborate and emphasize that hidden sugars occur in many places other than just sweets. This can include anything from tomato sauce, meats, chips, etc. Especially look out in fruit juices and teas. I was out with a friend recently and he went to purchase a tea that said naturally sweetened with honey. Sounds great, but in addition to honey, it was also sweetened with cane sugar. Why is sugar so bad? Sugar is the root of many diseases, both physical and mental, and also contributes to weight gain and mood disorders.

• That being said, ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity. In the tea mentioned above, cane sugar was the second ingredient, and water was the first. That means that "tea" is actually mostly sugar water. Keep this in mind when you read ingredients. Maybe sugar is added, but if it is at the very end, it may just be very little. 

Now onto the fun stuff: Spaghetti Squash! If you've never had it before, now might by the time to fall in love. The spaghetti squash isn't butternut squash or acorn squash made into spaghetti. It's its own squash that when sliced and baked (or microwaved) can be scooped out to be made into a spaghetti-like dish that tastes pretty darn good if you ask me. 

While the consistency is a little different than spiralized vegetables, and I can't quite vouch that it tastes exactly the same as spaghetti, it's an amazing vegetable that can be used as a pasta substitute in a variety of ways. It's great for bakes, used with tomato sauce, or tossed with other vegetables. 

It's pretty simple to make, and it is full of great nutrients such as vitamin A and C. It's also a great source of fiber, and you don't get all the carbs you would from eating regular pasta (which means, of course, significantly less calories.

Simple Lemony Garlic Spaghetti Squash

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of basil, chopped

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

2 small lemons

1. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and seeds from the top. 

2. There are two ways to cook the spaghetti squash. The first is to place the squash face down atop tinfoil and place in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. The second is to put a tablespoon of water into the spaghetti squash when it's right side up, and cook in the microwave for about 10-15 minutes. Once the spaghetti squash is thoroughly cooked, you should be able to easily scoop out the entire squash it should be soft.

3. While the squash is cooking, finely chop your garlic and basil. 

4. When squash is ready, heat up a pan with olive oil. Depending on the size of your pan, you might have to do the two halves separately (in which case, you would use half of the garlic and basil for each). Toss the spaghetti squash with garlic, basil, and more olive oil to taste for just a minute or two. You want the garlic and basil to only cook for a short time to keep them mostly raw and retain the strong flavor. Remove from heat and squeeze lemon on squash and toss again. 

5. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese to taste.

Enjoy! And I will work on posting some more recipes soon! 

My New Obsession: Spiralized Vegetables

Today I am happy to share with you a food tool that has changed my life: the spiralizer. I can't stop raving about it, and if you've spent time with me the past two weeks, I'm sure you've heard me going on and on about it. As you can probably tell from a lot of my past posts, I really enjoy making hearty, pasta-like dishes. While I normally opt the for healthier kinds anyway, like brown rice, spelt, or whole grain, I have discovered an even healthier, extremely easy, and cheap way to make pasta dishes-- using vegetables!

I stumbled upon this wonderful blog Inspiralized a few weeks ago, and after reading through some of her posts, I spontaneously purchased a spiralizer. I'm so glad I did. I use it every single day, making zucchini, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes into noodles.

It's obvious that I'm into health, but I'm not perfect. For instance, you're supposed to eat heavier meals for breakfast and lunch, and lighter meals for dinner. But sometimes when I come home from work, I'm starving and feel the need to indulge in something comforting and carb-y. This spiralizer has solved my problems. I can now enjoy "pasta" as much as a I want, and I can rest easy knowing I'm only eating vegetables! Generally for dinner, I start off with a protein like fish or bean salad, and then eat my noodles. It fills me up if I eat one or two whole vegetables as noodles, and I feel so light and clean afterwards.

The spiralizer comes with different sized blades, so it can also be used to make thicker fettucine-like pasta, and even curly fries for those who aren't as health conscious. It also can be used to make sweet dishes. I've used the sweet potato noodles and sauteed them in coconut oil, cinnamon and pure maple syrup to make a sweet, but nutritious breakfast treat.

Here are some of my concoctions below:

Zucchini

Some health benefits of zucchini: 

• Dietary fiber
• Folate, which helps your metabolism as well as cell growth
• Magnesium, which keeps your bones and heart healthy
• Low calorie (one cup of zucchini is about 36 calories, vs one cup of spaghetti which is about 220 calories)
• Helps lower cholesterol
• Vitamin C & A help fight cancer and are anti-inflammatory agents

Zucchini Noodles With Pesto & Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1-2 zucchinis (depending how big they are/how hungry you are)
5-7 cherry or grape tomatoes

For pesto:

1/8 cup olive oil (very approximate)

Juice of one small lemon

1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup of basil (approximate)

optional: avocado

1. Place tomatoes on aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the tomatoes at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. 

2. Prepare the pesto by combining chopped basil, chopped garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender. If you have the Vitamix or other high-powered blender, then there's no need to pre-chop. If you are finding that the pesto isn't smooth enough to blend, try adding avocado for creaminess (about 1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado).

3. Once pesto is prepared, spiralize the vegetable using your Paderno spiralizer. Inspiralized has a great instructional here.

4. Heat some olive oil on a pan on low to medium heat. Add the zucchini noodles and cook for a few minutes until soft. Add in the pesto and roasted tomatoes and enjoy!

Butternut Squash

Some health benefits of butternut squash:

• Dietary fiber
• High levels of vitamin A
• Lots of B vitamins
• High in minerals
• Vitamin C
• Helps regulate blood sugar

Butternut Squash Noodles With Sweet Potato & Greens

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

Handful of grape tomatoes

1/4 white or yellow onion

1/4-1/2 sweet potato, microwaved or baked until soft

1 cup shredded collard greens

1-2 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

1. Chop onions, garlic, and tomatoes. 

2. Peel the butternut squash. Chop the bulby part of the squash and put it aside. Use the other part to spiralize (good instructions here). 

3. Heat olive oil in pan. Add butternut squash and cook for a few minutes, then add rest of ingredients, except the sweet potato. Cook the mixture for a few more minutes until everything is cooked. If it is taking awhile for the butternut squash noodles to cook, lower heat and cover.

4. Add already heated sweet potato once the rest is done cooking. Toss with olive oil and eat up!

Sweet Potato

(sorry for the poor quality photo)

Some health benefits of sweet potato:

• Dietary fiber
• Huge source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A
• High in iron
• Contains vitamin C & D to help with the immune system
• High in potassium to help your heart function
• Antioxidants

Sweet Potato Noodles with "Creamy" Sundried Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

For Sauce:

 (and again, I apologize that I don't measure things properly, so these are just estimates of amounts)

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1 clove garlic, chopped

A few large leaves of basil

Olive Oil

White Vinegar

2 spoonfuls Greek yogurt

1-2 sweet potatoes, depending on size
1/4 white or yellow onion, chopped

Extra chopped basil & sundried tomatoes for garnish

Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

1. Combine ingredients for sauce in blender. Taste your mix: if it feels too liquidy add more sundried tomatoes and shallots. If it feels too thick, add some white vinegar and/or Greek yogurt.

2. Peel sweet potato and cut in half. If it feels too hard to spiralize, microwave for 1 minute.

3. Heat olive oil in pan. Add sweet potato noodles and cook for about 5 minutes. If you would like, cover pan to steam noodles to soften.

4. Once noodles are soft, add sauce and toss. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. 

If you are looking for something more quick and simple, I would recommend starting off with zucchini with marinara sauce or sweet potato noodles with garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. And please let me know if you purchase this contraption--I will be ecstatic for you!!

Fall's Nutritional Superfood: Pumpkin + Recipe for Pumpkin Pesto Pasta

We all know that come October comes pumpkin everything -- from lattes to scones, to pies and bread. While it's tempting to indulge in these sweet treats, there are plenty of things you can do yourself with canned pumpkin at home without all those added sugars. Believe it or not,  pumpkin is extremely healthy, and versatile! It can be used for both sweet and savory dishes, and I personally love to use pumpkin in my dinners. I love this time of year not just because it indicates fall, because it gives me a fun autumn squash to spice up my cooking for a few months!

Why you should be eating pumpkin (besides from the fact that it tastes delicious)

• It's filled with vitamins, including A, C, E, beta carotene, potassium, and B vitamins including folates, niacin, and B6
• It's high in fiber (which means its going to keep you full, maintain a healthy weight, and help your digestive system)
• It's a great source of antioxidants

So what does this all mean? It's a low calorie, mood-boosting, good-for-your-skin-and-body vegetable that should be utilized while it's in season! 

As I said before, I love making pumpkin savory. It can be a good cheese substitute for macaroni and cheese, used in a risotto, even made into a savory bread. But, it can also be made sweet. I like to add it to my oatmeal in the morning with cinnamon or blended into a pumpkin pie smoothie. This time I chose to make it into a pasta, as I had a lot of extra basil and wanted to make a pesto. I totally came up with this recipe out of my head, and I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but it tasted so much better than I could have imagined (and shout-out to my girls Vivian and Greer for cooking it with me!). You can always just make the pumpkin sauce or pesto on its own, but I think together they complemented each other just perfectly.

Pumpkin Pesto Pasta

(serves about 3)

Pasta: 3/4 lb brown rice pasta

For the Pesto:

2 cups basil
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 lemon (to juice)
2 large cloves of garlic
1/4 cup walnuts

For the Pumpkin Sauce:

3/4 can of pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
A splash or two of white wine vinegar
1-2 large cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of onions, chopped


(Remember, all these measurements are estimates, feel free to play around to taste!)

1. Boil your water for the pasta. In the meantime, begin chopping your ingredients, but don't forget to add the pasta once the water is boiling and check on it when it's done, about 8 minutes.

2. Start chopping ingredients for the pesto. If you have a high quality blender like the Vitamix, then you can just throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth. If you don't have that amazing blender, then chop your ingredients so that it's easier to finely blend. If it's hard to get the ingredients smooth, try adding a little bit of olive oil as well as lemon.

3. Chop garlic and onions for the pumpkin sauce. Heat some olive oil over a pan, and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are translucent, making sure to stir often so the garlic doesn't burn. Then add in the pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt, stirring until ingredients are mixed together and sauce is warm and thickened. Add a splash of white wine vinegar here and there both for flavor and consistency.

4. To serve, pour sauce over pasta and mix in. Add a spoonful of pesto on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chopped walnuts to taste.

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes? The options are endless, and I'll be sure to be making more pumpkin goodness as fall continues on!

Keeping Meals Creative + Italian White Bean Orzo

Some people rely entirely on recipes when it comes to cooking dishes, but I am not one of those people. While there is nothing wrong with guidance--because let's admit it, sometimes recipes are necessary to provide that perfect balance of flavor--the joy of cooking, for me, comes from testing and creating. It's almost an artistic outlet, for times when I feel like de-stressing and taking my mind off whatever is going on in my life.

That being said, it can be easy to hit a roadblock and run out of innovative ideas, so I thought I would share the breakdown of how I personally come up with new meals. I've mentioned in a previous post what inspires me when it comes to creating, but in this post I'm going to share the thought process that goes through my mind when I think of what I want to cook for dinner.

1. First I get in touch with my senses: What type of cuisine do I feel like eating? Am I craving a specific ingredient? For instance, if I'm craving avocado, I like to think of something Mexican or Caribbean. Or if I'm craving Italian, I'll incorporate lots of tomatoes, garlic, onions, and Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese. But, sometimes my dish doesn't have a certain flavor, and I'll just start brainstorming some combinations of my own. Part of this is intuitive to me, but the more you cook, the more you start to see what goes well together.

2. Next I pick my base, the carbohydrate. Honestly, I do try to limit my intake of carbs, but I have found that most meals feel incomplete without them. Carbohydrates give you energy and keep you full, and I find them essential to my meals. My favorites:

• Quinoa- Quinoa is great because it provides a complete protein and is easily malleable to many flavors. 
• Brown Rice: Great for gluten free, but I try to only have brown rice once in awhile because of its high levels of arsenic
• Whole Wheat Pasta: For when you just need that pasta fix. Sometimes I'll go with the brown rice pasta, but again, trying to avoid the arsenic intake. I've also found spelt pasta to be really good.
• Barley: Another great, easy to cook whole grain.

3. I pick my protein. While I am not a vegetarian, I do consider myself a flexitarian, a term coined to describe people who only eat meat on occasion. I never cook red meat at home, because personally it just makes me feel sick, but I do recommend eating it once in awhile, as long as it's grassfed (which I do from time to time). Sometimes I will make chicken, and I make fish quite often (my fave!). Proteins I love:

• Beans-- black, red, white, garbanzo, the options are endless!
• Fish-- especially low mercury choices such as salmon and sardines
• Eggs
• Chicken
• Tempeh (if there is soy in it, make sure it's organic to avoid GMOs)
• Turkey
• Cottage Cheese
• Buffalo Meat (My choice of red meat)

4. Time for vegetables! I love to load my dishes with as many vegetables as possible. When in doubt, add more veggies! I usually incorporate a mix of these things:

• Greens: Kale, arugula, spinach, chard, etc.
• Colors: Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, etc. 
• Pungent flavors: onions, scallions, garlic, mushrooms, etc.

5. Many times I will also incorporate dairy in order to give my dish some moisture.

• Greek Yogurt: great substitute for cream, mayonaise, or cheese. I always feel better using Greek yogurt over cheese because it has a higher protein content, lower fat, and is easier to digest. It also works great as a base for sauces.
• Cheese: I like to keep Trader Joe's Low Fat Three Cheese blend on hand, as well as fat-free feta and regular ole Parmesan cheese.

6. Toppings, for that extra crunch or oomph!

• Hemp hearts: a mild, nutty flavor packed with omega-3s (you can get these at Whole Foods or even Costco!). Love these on salads
• Nuts: nice addition to salads or oatmeal.
• Brewers Yeast: Adds a touch of salty flavor, and provides a good dose of necessary vitamins. Also good on salads and pasta.
• Chia Seeds: also for salads or sweet dishes.

And now, one of my own creations, clearly inspired by Italian cuisine. I used whole wheat orzo, which looks like rice, but is actually a pasta. This dish can be served hot or also chilled to become more like a pasta salad. Check it out under the cut!

Italian White Bean Orzo

Good Foods with Bad Raps + Linguine with Clams

Overtime, new studies find that some foods we thought were bad for us are actually more beneficial than harmful, but sometimes it's hard to shake the negative stigma attached to these foods. These 5 foods have been studied extensively, and new research is showing that there are more positive health benefits than negative, and it is encouraged to eat them.

1. Eggs: Eggs were shunned for a long time because of their high amount of cholesterol, but recent research has shown that eggs have no effect on heart disease for those with normal cholesterol levels. Eggs are high in protein and other essential vitamins and are extremely versatile to cook with.

When to avoid: If you're someone who already has high cholesterol, than you should watch your intake of eggs. If you don't have any cholesterol issues, than there's no need to worry, and you can even have more than one egg a day.

2. Avocados: Avocados are a source of good fat that actually help you lose weight. They are filled with vitamins and are good for your skin, and they help you absorb more of the carotenoids in salsas and salads.

When to avoid: Unless you are making it yourself, steer clear of most guacamoles, as many are made with heavy sour creams or oils.

3. Chocolate: Some of the benefits of cocoa: source of antioxidants, cuts down risk of heart disease, helps you lose weight, and boosts mood.

When to avoid: Try to go for dark chocolate 70% or higher to get the full benefits from the cocoa. Milk chocolate is filled with sugar and cream, and that's the kind of chocolate you should limit.

4. Nuts/Coconut: Nuts and coconuts are known for being fatty, but like avocados, the fat in nuts and coconuts is good fat and will help you lose weight. Nuts and coconuts also help your heart and provide you with omega 3s and other important nutrients.

When to avoid: If you're eating something like coconut oil, only get unrefined virgin coconut oil. For nuts, avoid nut butter brands like Jiff's and Skippys because they contain ingredients like hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Your ingredients should be pure, but for both butters and nuts, enjoy in moderation.

5. Coffee: Recent studies are now showing that coffee lowers your risk of many diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

When to avoid: Those who are prone to nervousness and anxiety should avoid coffee, as it is a stimulant that can exacerbate anxiety. Also avoid specialty drinks that are filled with cream and sugar. 

Healthy Linguine with Clams

I made this dish the other day when I was really stressed out. Although it may seem counterintuitive, cooking when I'm really overwhelmed calms me down. I set out to the grocery store unsure what I wanted to purchase, but I knew I wanted to make something I don't normally cook. I picked up some fresh basil and some sun-dried tomatoes, and then I thought "Why not make a fancy Italian pasta dish?" So, I added some canned clams to my grocery basket and set home to cook my meal.

 This dish came out way better than I expected. In fact, it was probably one of the best pasta dishes I have ever cooked, and I have cooked a lot of pasta before. I posted my picture on Instagram and got a lot of attention for it, so I figured I would post the recipe here. It's a good start for beginners, but it will be sure to impress. 

Ingredients:

Whole Grain Linguine (about 1/6 of the box)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

5 leaves of basil, chopped

1/4 medium onion, chopped

4 large sun-dried tomato pieces, cut smaller

1/2 small can of clams

Olive oil to cook with and to drizzle on top (your discretion, use minimally)

Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

(and remember, my measurements are always approximate, since I just throw things in when I cook)

1. Start boiling the water for your linguine. In the meantime, chop your garlic, basil, onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

2. Once the water is boiling, put in your pasta and cook for about 8 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat up a pan with olive oil and sauté all the ingredients except the basil.  Once the onions are almost translucent, toss in the basil.

3. Drain pasta when ready. Add the linguine to the pan with the rest of your ingredients. Add a small amount of olive oil and the clams and toss together. Top with parmesan cheese as desired.