Recipe courtesy of: Donatello’s Italian Restaurant, 9 W. Main Street in Carmel
There are so many fattening but delicious treats to enjoy during the holidays. Since you’ll be eating so many decadent delights, you might be looking for a healthier option for some meals. Most people wouldn’t think Italian food is a good choice to eat healthily because they assume every dish is filled with carbs, cheese and meats. But that’s not always the case.
Here’s one recipe you can find at Donatello’s or make at home for a healthy, but hearty, vegetarian pasta. This can be made with gluten-free or whole-wheat spaghetti if you prefer.
Directions
- Start off with a skillet warmed up on the stove to medium heat.
- Add olive oil as the pan warms up, just enough to fill the bottom on the pan, not too much. Usually a few tablespoons.
- Once the oil is warm, add a few tablespoons of peeled and chopped garlic. Don’t chop the garlic too fine or it’ll burn quickly.
- After the oil and garlic are sizzling and you can see and smell the garlic cooking (usually one or two minutes) then you can add your vegetables. In the photo, you’ll see how chopped mushrooms were added, but you could add anything you like. Tip: Keep in mind, if you added too much olive oil or garlic it will fry your vegetables and make it not tasty.
- Once your veggies are cooked, you’re going to add your tomatoes. The chef at Donatello’s recommends using whole tomatoes, peeled already and packed in their own juices.
- Add the tomatoes to the sizzling pan of olive oil, garlic and veggies and then let everything simmer on medium heat until the tomatoes are cooked for 3-5 minutes.
- Add your cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss until it’s all mixed.