Real Simple Recipe

Not only did I find this recipe in Real Simple magazine, it actually was "real simple" to make!! I made it for lunch today, and even though J usually doesn't have much interest in my concoctions (I usually make him something normal:), he decided to eat it too. We both loved it! And it's vegetarian!

I halved the recipe because I only wanted to make 2 servings instead of four. Now that I know we like it I'll probably make the full recipe next time and have leftovers!

Also, when I typed this meal into Spark People (where I track my calories) I realized that the calorie count was a little higher than I like to eat for lunch. So, I only used 4 ounces of pasta instead of 6, which made each serving 2 ounces of pasta. It was still a pretty large serving! We were both completely satisfied.

Last, I left out the parmesan cheese in an effort to cut calories and cost. We didn't miss it at all, but if you really love cheese then you may like it better with it.

Chickpea pasta with Almonds and Parmesan
hands -on time: 20 minutes / total time: 20 minutes / serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped (I used minced garlic from a jar)
7 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
12 ounces angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed (I used 1/2 cup chick peas per serving)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped (I used regular sliced almonds)

Directions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (do not let it brown). Add the broth, red pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil
- Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is nearly absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and parsley. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and almonds before serving.

Estimated Nutrition Information (may vary depending on brands etc.)
Calories - 421
Fat - 9
Protein - 15

I would have posted a picture because the picture in Real Simple is what enticed me to make it, but my camera doesn't take good close-ups so I knew it wouldn't do it justice!