Fusilli with Lentils & Kale

From EatingWell: May/June 1992 — Subscribe Now!

Lentils give this sauce a meaty feel, making it an interesting alternative to long-simmered old-fashioned sauces. For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth, omit the prosciutto and add about 8 chopped dried tomatoes to the sauce.

6 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/2 cup green lentils, preferably French LePuy lentils
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces prosciutto, trimmed and chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or a pinch dried
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped kale leaves, (1/2 bunch)
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound whole-wheat rotini, or fusilli
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic and prosciutto, and sauté until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, lentils, rosemary and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and kale, return to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils and kale are tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook rotini or fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender firm,10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a large, shallow bowl. Add the lentil sauce and toss well. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve immediately with Parmesan.

Nutrition

Per serving: 416 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 78 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 12 g fiber; 449 mg sodium; 413 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (173% daily value), Vitamin A (95% dv).

4 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat