Food and Cooking

Lighter lemon pasta and spinach bake – Recipe

Put together healthy veg with yummy mustard and cheese sauce and you’ve got a great pasta bake.

Each serving provides 459 kcal, 24g protein, 63g carbohydrate (of which 6.5g sugars), 11g fat (of which 5.5g saturates), 6g fibre and 0.6g salt.

Ingredients
300g/10½oz dried macaroni
200g/7oz broccoli, cut into small florets
100g/3½oz baby spinach, any thicker stems removed
2 tsp olive oil
2 spring onions, outer leaves removed, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tbsp plain flour
300ml/10fl oz skimmed milk
2 bay leaves
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
100g/3½oz Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tsp olive oil, to serve
Recipe tips

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6

Cook the macaroni in boiling water for 6 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the spinach and leave to stand with the lid on for 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Fry the spring onions for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring all the time, for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, add the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Remove the bay leaves.

Stir in the mustard, lemon zest and three quarters of the Parmesan, then season well.

Tip the pasta and broccoli into a shallow baking dish. Pour over the sauce and mix well. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with the dressed salad leaves.

In other news – Easy, healthy banana oat pancakes – Recipe

Deliciously light and fluffy banana pancakes, made healthier by using wholemeal flour for extra fibre. Serve in stacks with sliced banana and crunchy pecan nuts, or mixed berries. Learn more

Source: BBC FOODS