The addition of greens, raisins and almonds to pasta is a healthy new spin on a quick dinner.  Beets are in season in Massachusetts from June to October. Beet greens are often thrown away after beets are removed.  Instead, save the greens: they are a good source of many nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.  If beet greens aren’t available, you can substitute any dark green like Swiss chard or spinach.

Ingredients:
8 ounces (1/2 of a 1-pound box) whole wheat penne pasta
¼ cup sliced almonds
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped beet greens
¼ cup raisins
3 oz goat cheese (soft variety, such as Chevre)
½ tsp salt
Black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Prepare pasta according to the directions on the package. While pasta is cooking, toast the almonds in a large, dry sauté pan over medium heat until they turn golden brown (about 3 minutes). Remove almonds from pan and place in a small bowl. Add olive oil to the pan and add garlic, greens and raisins.  Sauté for about 3 minutes, until greens are tender and wilted. (If necessary, once greens are fully cooked, remove sauté pan from heat until pasta is cooked.)

Once pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and add it to the sauté pan with the greens.  Let mixture cook for about 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.  Meanwhile, drain pasta from remaining water. Add pasta, toasted almonds, goat cheese, salt and pepper to the greens and toss to combine.

Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Nutrition Information per Serving:
Calories: 375 • Protein: 15 g • Sodium: 380 mg • Carbohydrate: 53 g • Fiber: 7 g • Fat: 14 g Sat Fat: 4 g