Pastas have always been one of my favorite foods but the big difference now is that I use whole wheat pastas only. Same for the breads I make. There is no room for all purpose flour in any bread making I do. And now the food eating patterns have also changed a lot. A pasta could be a main course at one point of time but it is now a mere side, as an accompaniment to some mains which are essentially protein in different forms. I am also happy to share here that my repertoire of protein types and preparations are increasing by the day. And I am enjoying every bit of it. All experiments are not a success but the ones that turn out well are well received by the kids as well. So I am glad that I am exposing them to different kinds of meats and methods of preparation.

Back to the pasta dish. This came about as a means to add carbs back to the usual protein and veggie heavy diet. Instead of making a side dish with mushrooms or spinach, I have found another way to add them to my pasta to make it much more nourishing and flavorful. In the past I have made a bolognese with mushroom which is still a favorite at my home. My husband is not a big fan of tomato sauce or pesto based pastas so I keep looking for ways of serving pasta that steer clear of the heavy creamy sauces. This was such a refreshing addback to the recipe collection that I indend to make it again and again. What makes it easy is that both spinach and mushroom can be used without much processing. A food processor or tiny jar that comes with modern day hand blenders will be good to get the right consistency of the vegetables. If not you can try chopping with a knife. Although a bit of an exercise, I find that to be a perfect destresser as well!

The mediterranean flavors are what add the extra punch. The chopped olives, feta cheese and toasted pine nuts are what make this pasta dish out of the ordinary. And these are just my additions of choice. Feel free to use what holds your fancy in this recipe - be creative and love every bite of the food you eat! For this recipe the spinach shuold be chosen carefully. I prefer Indian spinach (palak) or baby spinach over chinese spinach. Most spinach available in US supermarkets as fresh or frozen will also work fine. For the mushrooms, use white button or brown mushrooms.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pasta (cooked al dente as per package instructions) reserve one cup pasta cooking water

2 cups spinach leaves

1 large garlic clove (finely chopped)

1 cup mushroom tops, quartered

2 tablespoons chopped olives

2 tablespoons feta cheese

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Chop the spinach leaves and mushrooms in a food processor/blender till fine.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the mushrooms and garlic and cook till the mushrooms have lost all moisture. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add salt pepper to taste and the reserved pasta water.

3. Add the cooked pasta to this and cook for 2-3 minutes till the pasta has absorbed all the sauces.

4. Add the olives, feta cheese and mix well. Put on a serving platter and garnish with toasted pine nuts and some grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot.