Spicy Spinach Pasta

Everyone should have a go-to recipe.

You should have a go-to recipe because there's going to be a situation when you're going to need to cook dinner for someone. Take-out is not an option, you don't have a lot of prep time and you definitely don't want to play around with a new recipe.

Let's just call this situation "Monday Night". That certain someone is yourself.

I love making dinner, but there are certain nights when I get home that I can't bear the thought of cooking for an hour before I actually get to eat something. At this point in the day I'm normally running on fumes and harnessing all of my self-control to not just call it a day and eat chips and guac for dinner.

Those days I'll either eat eggs and toast for dinner or this beauty.


This is my go-to recipe. It's a rare occasion if I don't have all of these ingredients in my kitchen, and it makes excellent leftovers for lunch the next day. It also comes together quickly, so you don't have to worry about polishing off the chips and guacamole while you're waiting around for dinner to be ready.

If you're interested, throw some shrimp in the mix for an added protein boost, but it's really tasty either way.

Yeah, so much better than take-out.

Spicy Spinach Pasta
serves 2, but I'll double or triple it when cooking for a crowd

Ingredients
3 oz. spinach (I use a little more than half of one of the plastic containers)
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 lb. whole-wheat pasta (I like short pasta with this, but whatever works for you)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large basil leaves
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sautee for another 30 seconds. Add the can of diced tomatoes to the garlic and simmer over medium heat until heated through, about seven to ten minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes.

When the pasta is done, strain and add to the tomato sauce immediately. Add the spinach to the tomato and pasta mixture and cook until the spinach is just wilted.

Plate and top with basil and Parmesan cheese.