Lemon zest ties all the flavors together in this light and creamy pasta. Make it a meal: Serve with a salad of sliced fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
| Prep Time: | 35 minutes |
| Ready in: | 35 minutes |
| Yield: | 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each |
| Ease of Prep: | Easy |
| Recipe Ingredients | |
| 8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta | |
| 1 bunch asparagus , trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces | |
| 1 1/2 cups whole milk | |
| 4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard | |
| 4 teaspoons flour | |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt | |
| 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper | |
| 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil | |
| 3 tablespoons minced garlic | |
| 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried | |
| 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest | |
| 2 teaspoons lemon juice | |
| 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese , divided | |
Recipe Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tarragon, lemon zest and juice.
- Stir the sauce into the pasta-asparagus mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Health Advantages: high fiber, low sat fat, low cholesterol, high calcium, heart healthy, diabetes appropriate.
| Nutrition Information | ||||||||
| Servings Per Recipe: 4 | ||||||||
| Amount Per serving | ||||||||
| Calories: | 359 cal | Carbohydrate Servings: | 3 | |||||
| Carbohydrates: | 55 g | Dietary Fiber: | 7 g | Cholesterol: | 18 mg | |||
| Fat: | 10 g | Sodium: | 602 mg | Saturated Fat: | 4 g | |||
| Protein: | 18 g | Potassium: | 467 mg | Monounsaturated Fat: | 4 g | |||
| Nutrition Bonus: | Folate (38% daily value), Calcium (30% dv), Vitamin C & Zinc (20% dv). | |||||||
| Exchanges: | 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat | |||||||
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Creamy Asparagus Pasta
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