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My Colombian Recipes » Reviews » Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti With Kale, Asparagus And Lemon

Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti with Kale, Asparagus and Lemon

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Barilla

Thin Spaguetti with kale Hi guys! I thought we could chat a bit about whole grain pasta today. I'm a fan of the taste, texture, and nutritional value of Barilla® Whole Grain Pasta. According to Barilla®, their pastas are made with 51% whole wheat and are an all-natural and excellent source of fiber, delivering three times the fiber of regular pasta.

As a mom, I like to incorporate as many nutritious, family-friendly meals as possible into our menus, and I am always very happy to add a new dish to the list. I am very excited that I've been finding more ways to incorporate whole grain into our diets, and Barilla® Whole Grain pasta is a great way to do it. You can choose from many types of whole grain pasta, such as Linguine, Thin Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Medium Shells, Rotini, and Penne. Barilla Whole Grain pasta BlogHer and Barilla® sent me three boxes of varying types of whole grain pasta, and I needed to create a recipe using one of them. I wanted to do something a little different from a traditional pasta with tomato sauce, while keeping the dish light and vegetarian-friendly.

I often find myself rushing around on weeknights, trying to throw together a healthy and appealing meal. I know a lot of moms regularly find themselves in a similar position, so I hope this recipe helps! I decided to make a healthy, flavorful dish using Barilla® Thin Whole Grain Spaghetti. The sauce is simply olive oil, organic kale, garlic, organic asparagus, lemon, organic grape tomatoes, feta cheese and spices. Whole Grain Pasta Asparagus and kale are the base of this dish, but there is quite a lot going on beyond those textures and flavors. You get a bite of tang from the lemon, heat from the red pepper flakes, while the fresh grape tomatoes, parsley, and feta cheese cool things down, and the touch of ground cumin adds just enough earthiness to balance everything out. Kale The verdict: This meatless, whole grain pasta dish is a knockout and one of my new favorite recipes to make for my family! I love the array of colors, textures and flavors in this dish. I also know I am doing something good for my family and myself with this healthy meal.

Barilla® is also offering a taste guarantee...If you don't love their whole grain pasta, they'll give you a free box of Barilla® blue box pasta. For more information about this guarantee and to check out the Dinner Kit for recipes and other tools that make it easy to put healthy and extraordinary meals on your table, check out their web site.

BlogHer and Barilla® are giving away a $100 Amazon gift card to one of my lucky readers! To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment here telling us what you love about Barilla® Whole Grain.

SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post. b) Tweet about this promotion @BarillaUS with the following unique term in your message, #BarillaWG, and link to your Tweet in a comment on this post. c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to your post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 2/21/12-3/30/12.

Be sure to visit the Barilla® Whole Grain round-up page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers' reviews and find more chances to win!
Veggies Recipe for:

Barilla® Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti with Kale, Asparagus and Lemon Ingredients:

(4 servings)

1 pound Barilla® Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti.
1 bunch organic kale, chopped (remove the tough stems).
6 tablespoons olive oil.
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to your taste.
5 garlic cloves, minced.
1 bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces.
1 pint organic grape tomatoes, halved.
3 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped.
Juice of 3 lemons.
½ teaspoon ground cumin.
Salt and pepper.
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled.

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally. One minute before the pasta is done, add the kale to the pot of cooking pasta. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a large sauce pan over medium heat until the garlic begins to brown. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes.

Asparagus

3. Remove from the heat. Add the chopped parsley, grape tomatoes lemon juice and ground cumin.

4. Toss the pasta and kale with the asparagus and tomato mixture, season with salt and pepper. Before serving, toss the pasta with feta cheese.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandra

    This looks like a great recipe! To cook healthy in my home, I limit the use of salt, oils and butters. Fresh herbs are a great substitute when looking for flavor.

  2. Jaina Gamboa

    Love barilla brand!!! Always have, the best quality/taste of pasta around. Been using it for years! I love the wheat products! Been trying to eat healthier so been doing lots of wheat and brown rice, and lots of grilled fish and chicken! And salads!! And I'm getting my family to love it in the process! Which is a good thing! They are not the biggest veggie/healthy eaters!

  3. Mami2jcn

    I love the GREAT TASTE of Barilla Whole Grain! It's also wonderful how healthy it is and both kids and adults enjoy it. My sons are picky eaters but they love Barilla!

    By the way, I enjoy your blog. My mother is Colombian.

  4. Mami2jcn

    tweet-twitter.com/#!/mami2jcn/status/172015127397269504

  5. Carol B.

    I love the fact that Barilla Whole Wheat Pasta doesn't taste like cardboard. My husband loves pasta, but he would refuse to eat whole wheat pasta because as he said "It's not he same, it has a funny taste" until I used Barilla! Now he doesn't even notice the difference lol.

  6. Paola

    Our family has completely switched to the Barilla pasta. We love the whole wheat pasta! All our dishes come out that much better. We once thought pasta was 'ok' but now that it's whole wheat that makes it so much healthier we think it's the BEST!!!

  7. Amanda Sakovitz

    I love the taste of Barilla whole grain pasta. We have it every saturday for dinner at my boyfriend's parents' house.

  8. Amanda Sakovitz

    twitter.com/#!/aes529/status/172031631165620226

  9. Elena

    I love that Barilla is healthy and tasty

  10. Elena

    twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/172036100037160961

  11. courtney b

    we like how it's healthy but doesn't TASTE healthy! plus so many different dishes you can make

  12. courtney b

    tweet

    twitter.com/#!/MeandBells/status/172041455290945537

  13. Juliana

    Erica, I still yer have to cook with whole grain pasta...and this one seems the one to start with. Like the idea of the veggies...and lots of them in the pasta. Is sure looks a great weeknight meal.
    Thanks for introducing me to this pasta and hope you are having a wonderful week 🙂

  14. Matt T

    I love that it's a healthier option, and still tastes great!

  15. Ann

    I love this recipe. Barilla actually is the brand of pasta that I buy. I also grow a lot of Kale, asparagus and tomatoes in my garden, so it is the perfect garden meal! thanks for posting!

  16. Jeanette

    Love this light and healthy recipe using whole grain pasta. I buy Barilla Whole Grain pasta for my kids and find it is such a kid friendly pasta. We serve it with mostly tomato based sauces, but I've also made stir-fry noodles with them, and it worked really well with their whole grain pasta.

  17. Ashley H.

    I love that it makes an easy meal.

  18. Meister @ The Nervous Cook

    I love whole-grain pasta: Nutty, nutritious, and hearty enough to stand up to chunky and elaborate homemade sauces or toppings. Barilla is actually my preferred brand, so this would be perfect!

  19. Jay

    I have never used Barilla Whole Grain Pasta but from what I'm reading I bet it would be tasty in my favorite "Mediterranean" Pasta Salad, a mix of olives, tomatoes, avocados, red onion, capers, salt and pepper, tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

  20. Jay

    Oh and don't forget the warm bread with the the pasta salad. Thanks for the Barilla Whole Grain Pasta recommendation. I'll have to pick-up a box and try it.

  21. sillygirl

    Love that it is a good whole grain and tastes like it - love the heartiness of that - thanks Barilla!

  22. Flora

    My children have not noticed the switch to whole grains but I feel better knowing they are eating healthier.

  23. Karen

    I love kale and this is a really good way to use it - with another one of my favorites, pasta!

  24. Schmidty

    We love the taste and having the option for whole grain!

  26. Karina Lee

    i love that something so healthy can taste great too

  27. ♡♥♬ Louis ♬♥♡

    I love the texture of whole grain pasta, it always comes out right al dente

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com

  29. Wehaf

    I love the hearty flavor.

  30. Breanne

    I really like that the barilla whole grain pasta doesn't taste chalky. Instead, it's delicious! Can't wait to try it with this recipe!

  31. Alaine

    I love that their pasta is a great source of fiber.
    family74014 at gmail dot com

  32. Bev Edge

    I love Barilla Whole Grain pasta's texture and flavor. It's a great way to make the foods we love healthier for my family!

  33. grace

    i'm a loyal barilla buyer--they have the widest selection of shapes and types!

  34. Kelly Massman

    I love that I can eat one of my favorite foods without having to feel guilty about it!!!!
    thanks for a chance to win!
    And, have a GREAT day!
    kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

  35. Carolyn G

    I love that I can have great tasting pasta and it is healthy for me

  36. Claudia

    Love the vegetable combination. I often do whole wheat - both Barilla and ... I won't mention other brand! It's particularly good with hearty vegetables and some slabs of sausage!

  37. Mary

    Love all the fiber it has.

    marybug2 @ yahoo . com

  39. cw

    I love that it has 3 time the amount of fiber of other pastas and made with whole wheat and you can't tell the difference in taste

  40. steff

    i love that it has more fiber!

  42. Janice Cooper

    I like that it has lots of fiber (something I need), all natural and tasty!

  44. lauren

    i haven't tried it yet, but i love pasta and whole grain is great b/c it's a healthier option

  45. Jessie C.

    I like it's whole grain and also taste great.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  47. Melanie

    I love all the awesome fiber!

  48. anna pry

    i love that it has a heartier texture and nutty flavor
    thepryfamily@gmail.com

  50. Ivy

    This is the kind of pasta I love!!

  51. Kelly D

    I love Barilla Whole Grain because I can enjoy pasta without going off my diet, and it is delicious.

  53. Marta

    MMM se ve deliciosos! ya tengo receta para el fin de semana!

  54. kjasus

    i love that it is more nutritious than plain white pasta

  55. Ralph

    A few months ago I "discovered" kale and have been juicing it almost daily since then. Recently I noticed Costco was selling Barilla whole grain penne and have been using it regularly, it's great! Can't wait to combine two of my favorite ingredients using your recipe. Thanks!

  57. Camila

    I love Barilla! The whole wheat pasta is healthier and just as flavorful!

  58. tara pittman

    It is healthy and tastes great

  59. Kitty

    Looks tasty. SInce we have both kale and our asparagus patch has started producing this year, I'll give it a try.

  60. Sunshyn V

    I love that it tastes good and is healthy too
    chainmail (at)iwon dot com

  62. Monica B.

    I think most wheat pastas take a little bit longer to cook and in my house, we do things fast. I loved that the Barilla pasta, was fast and easy. Plus, my 2 year old liked it, who can argue with that!?
    Thanks!

  63. LeeAnn

    Whole wheat pasta tastes great and is so much better for you!

  64. Sarah

    I love all Barilla pasta and I was very pleased to taste the whole grain and find that it is just as delicious, both in texture and flavor.

  65. Rebecca Kessler

    I love it because it's so healthy and easy to use.... There are many products on the market but this one really wins above the rest!

  66. shannon

    Wow this looks delicious. Whole wheat pasta is hit or miss at our house, some are too chewy, never tried Barilla!

  67. Karen

    I love Barilla because my three Colombian Nina's do!

  68. Karen2

    I love Barilla whole wheat penne with kale dishes, and I'm looking forward to trying this recipe!

  69. Daniela

    I love that Barilla is an Italian Pasta Company. The way it is supposed to be!! And the products do not have tons of unnecessary ingredients, like corn syrup and soy! I really dislike processed foods! I am glad Barilla produces pasta the way it is supposed to be! Yummi with no regrets!

  70. Amy Tong

    I love your creation. So refreshing and simple to put together. I love Barilla Whole Grain pasta for the extra nutty flavor and better nutrition than regular pasta. 🙂

  71. Susan Smith

    I love that it's high in Fiber and it tastes great!

  73. sandra

    i like that it still tastes good

  74. MelissaO

    I love the nutty flavor and just wished that my husband learned to love it too! But I use Barilla whole grain when I make vegetarian lunches that I take to work.

    wolverina401 at gmail dot com

  75. Dahbou

    I love the fact that it delivers three times the fiber of regular pasta and still tastes delicious!

  77. Desi

    I love that it doesn't taste different than regular and I can get my healthy on! 🙂

  78. Debra F

    I have to admit that I prefer white pasta, but we've made the switch and I love that Barilla is a really great source of fiber for our family's diet....especially for my sons who eat a lot of the wrong foods when left to their own devices.

  79. Michelle

    I love that it is easy find in most stores and it is tasty.

  80. Tina M

    I love the taste

  82. meredith

    i want to try your recipe! i love the health benefits of wheat pasta- and it tastes good too!

  84. helga

    yum! this looks delish! I've been using barilla pasta for years, i think it's one of the best. thanks so much for the giveaway:-)

  85. Erica Best

    I like it’s whole grain and also taste great plus is all natural
    purple_lover_04 at msn dot com

  87. Rondah

    I love that it is all natural and healthier for my family

  89. tanya

    I like the fact it is nutritious

  91. Leann Lindeman

    Tasy and good for you!

  92. Jessica F

    I love that Barilla Whole Grain has way more fiber than regular pasta!

  94. Ryana

    I like that it is delicious and healthy for my family

  96. Christina Tong

    I love Barilla® Whole Grain Pasta because it provides more fiber, it is nutritious and delicious. I have been buying the Barilla’s regular pasta for many years and switched to this whole grain once I tried and love it’s texture.

    ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

  98. sy

    I love the variety and fast cook time. Thanks for the review and giveaway.
    songyueyu at gmail

  100. Deanna G.

    I love that it's high in fiber! 🙂

  102. Stacy Marie

    Barilla....that's the only brand we buy! Why? It tastes great every time. Plus we love the variety and how well it boils up. Yum! And...I can't wait to make this spaghetti dish....it looks tasty!

  103. LeeAnn

    I love the flavor, texture and that it is better for you than traditional pasta.

  104. Jammie

    I love the flavor and the fact it is healthier for you. sweepmorey at gmail dot com

  106. linda brooks

    Its a change from other pasta, and it is fun to cook with.

  108. Gina M Maddox

    I love that Barilla Whole Grain is all natural and is a great source of fiber. Thanks for the chance to win!
    gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

  109. Gina M Maddox

    TWEET-https://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/184045626319831040
    gina.m.maddox (AT) gmail (DOT) com

  110. Kerry

    I love that it's healthy and still tastes great!

  112. Julie

    We already use this pasta-love the flavor thanks

  113. anash

    i love that its whole grain and healthy to feed my family! Thanks for a super giveaway!

  115. angie lilly

    I love that its a very well known name brand offering whole grains to the masses. I am a huge proponent of eating whole foods, especially whole grains and have noticed that lots of people have a negative opinion of "health foods." With the Barilla name comes a guarantee that its going to taste great and hopefully that will get more people to try it and see that eating healthy tastes great!

  117. Maria Cantu

    I love that it's made with 51% whole wheat and tastes great.

  118. Carmen

    I love that it's full of fiber and my family can't tell the difference!

  120. helga

    barilla whole grain tastes better than ho-hum plain pasta....use it all the time:)

  121. Helen

    I buy Barilla whole grain penne all the time, it makes the best pasta salad. THX!

  122. ANGEL JACKLYN

    I LOVE THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF BARILLA VERSES REGULAR PASTA!

  124. Betty C

    I love that Barilla found a way to make a healthier pasta and still retain the taste and texture that my family loves.

  126. Sarah L

    I like that it tastes good.
    Thanks for the contest.

  128. Mari

    I like that it contains three times more fiber than regular pasta.

    runningmatey at hotmail dot com

  130. Anne K

    I love Barilla Whole grain because it tastes good (exactly like the blue box pasta in my humble opinion) and is great for you.

    Also,
    Your recipe looks AWESOME! All of my favorite veggies + pasta = love!