OK, my snack-meal phase is over for now; I am ready to return to focusing on healthy meals.  My first half marathon is in just over a week and I have not lost the few pounds I have put on since Amsterdam.  I have been fighting injury and illness for the past few months, so my goal for this race is survival, not speed.  But it is time to focus on getting leaner for the races to come later in the Spring and the rest of the season.

So I will kick off my returning focus on healthy meals with a riff on traditional white beans, garlic and tomatoes.

I love tomato confit with its intense tomato and garlic flavors.  So I built this around the confit.

You can use roasted tomatoes as well, just add more garlic to the cooking of the spinach.

 

Of course, you can also leave out the pasta and just have the greens, tomatoes and beans.  They are quite delicious by themselves.

Pasta with Tomato Confit, Cannellini, Garlic and Spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced (from the garden)

8 oz spinach

1 Tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt

1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup tomato confit or roasted tomatoes (made from the garden)

8 oz pasta (tube or spiral)

Freshly grated parmesan and crushed red pepper for passing

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and stir for about a minute.  Add the spinach and a touch of salt, toss continually until the spinach just starts to wilt. Remove from heat.

Mix the cannellini and tomatoes with the spinach and garlic.

Drain the pasta and mix in with the spinach mixture.

Serve, passing grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.