April 27, 2015
Somehow quick, rich and healthy do not seem to go together. But, in this case the combination of healthy ingredients paired with a store-bought asparagus and cheese filled ravioli were just that. I had some homemade pesto on hand to increase flavor and the richness. There was a variety of healthy green vegetables with fresh spring asparagus, beet greens and my favorite power greens mixture from Sam’s Club that includes slivers of carrots – and cherry tomatoes.

With a quick sautee and a toss with pasta water, chicken broth and the pesto, we were enjoying a nice meal in about 20 minutes one day last week. I really do like sautéing a variety of greens as they shrink down into luscious ribbons of green and add flavor without being overbearing. I think they actually help cut the richness of cheese and pasta together. This meal was not lowfat, that’s for sure – but it was delicious!

delicious green ravioli!

sauce of pesto, chicken stock and some pasta water to bind and thicken it.

Spinach-Artichoke Ravioli with Pesto and Spring Vegetables

Preparation time about 20 minutes

Serves 3-5 (three of us ate every bit last week - as I said, not low fat or low calorie but good!)

Ingredients

1 family size package Buitoni spinach-artichoke ravioli (says it serves 5)
2 Tbs olive oil
10-12 asparagus spears, cut into 2″ lengths
3 cups mixed greens (I used beet greens and thin stems, baby spinach/kale/chard with carrot chards)
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3/4 cup basil pesto
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 to 1/2 cup pasta liquid

Instructions

Bring a lage pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large skillet or saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add asparagus and sautee for 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown. Add greens and crushed garlic and continue to sautee for another 3-5 minutes. When the greens have released their liquid, sautee an additional minute to let them begin to dry. Add pesto and broth and stir to make a creamy sauce.

Add ravioli to boiling pot and cook as directions dictate. When the pasta is almost fully cooked, scoop out a cupfull of the pasta water. Add some to the saute pan and stir. Add more or less liquid to make the sauce to your desired consistency.

Drain pasta into a colander carefully. Add cherry tomatoes and ravioli to the pan. Shake and stir carefully to incorporate the sauce with the pasta and vegetables. Serve immediately.

 

Notes

I