Sunchoke + Fennel Pasta
This is the perfect winter-time recipe and anything but your average pasta dish!
As I have told you in the past, I like to experiment with new ingredients! I decided to use sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, for this recipe. The potato-like veggies are crunchy with a nutty taste. Yes, they are rich in carbohydrates but most of the carbs are in the form of inulin. Inulin is a non-digestible prebiotic fiber and food for beneficial probitic organisms in the gut. Moreover, sunchokes are high in potassium and iron. Iron is needed to carry enough oxygen to the cells and to keep your immune system strong.
Ou, and I added fennel and broccolini as well. Fennel is an amazing beauty food. The bulbous plant is naturally diuretic, meaning it will help you to beat the bloat if you struggle with water-retention. Fennel is high in antioxidants, properties that reduce the signs of aging, support a healthy heart, and neutralise harmful free radicals.
For the recipe I used gluten-free whole grain rice fusilli pasta. Hope you will love the recipe!
Ingredients:
150g gluten-free pasta
200g broccolini
1 fennel bulb
200g sunchokes
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
400ml vegetable broth (vegan)
Himalayan sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil leaves
Pine nuts
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring a few centimeters of water to boil. Add the sliced broccolini florets and fennel. Steam, covered, until fork tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Once your pasta and steamed vegetables are completed cooking, drain the water from the pasta, and remove the vegetables from the steamer basket. Set aside.
Meanwhile, use a large skillet to saute sunchokes in olive oil. Do this until golden brown.
Pour your vegetable broth into the skillet. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce the broth by half or so. Once the broth is reduced, stir in the nutritional yeast.
Pour the sunchoke broth over your pasta and vegetables (broccolini and fennel) and stir together.
Add your favourite greens, and top with pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.
Enjoy this nourishing pasta bowl with peace, love, and gratitude!