Recipe: Baked Pasta With Pumpkin-Sage Sauce!

Hello!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How's your Friday going?! Are you ready for the weekend?! Lets get this weekend started! WOOO WHOOO!! Before we get this weekend rolling along, I'm posting 1 more recipe this week, which happens to be a Vegetarian dish! Also, don't forget to check out the JUICE recipe at the bottom!!

BAKED PASTA WITH PUMPKIN-SAGE SAUCE
Serves: 4
Serving size: about 1 cup
Total time: 40 minutes

6 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried sage
1 cup reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
1/2 tsp coarse salt, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 ounces (about 3 cups) fresh spinach
1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet over medium, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic, and sage in oil until tender. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the milk and pumpkin puree. Add 3 ounces cheese, whisking until combined. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Continue to heat over low until cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Drain pasta and return pasta to pot. Add spinach, pumpkin sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pasta in pot. Stir gently until pasta is evenly coated with sauce.

3. Pour pasta mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and remaining 1 ounce Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition facts (per serving): calories 339, total fat 12 g, saturated fat 5 g, trans fat 0 g, sodium 870 mg, carbs 45 g, fiber 6 g, sugar 5 g, protein 18 g.

The following JUICE recipe reminds me of a Waldorf salad, without the walnuts! The hemp-seed oil will give you a similar benefit of omega-3 fatty acids. The oil will blend best if it's shaken with the juice in a jar ;)

WALDORF SALAD JUICE

2 apples
2 sticks of celery
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cold-pressed hemp-seed oil

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice is GOOD for energy!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur; essential fatty acids.

That's it for this post...i'm out the door...my Fridayyyyy fun starts right now :D
Have an AWESOME weekend!
SEE YOU back here on Monday!!