Spring Asparagus and Tomato Penne with Barilla ProteinPLUS
I stumbled upon Barilla ProteinPLUS pasta at my local Walmart. It's packed with 17 g of protein (per 3.5 oz portion) from all natural vegetarian ingredients including egg whites, grains, lentils, and chickpeas. It's also a great source of fiber and ALA Omega-3. It seemed like the perfect base for a quick, easy, and delicious meal any day of the week, so I ended up picking up the penne to give it a try.
I thought it would pair perfectly with some bright spring veggies like asparagus and tomatoes to make a light and fresh pasta (or pasta salad) dish while still being a good source of lean protein. I added in some lemon juice, pine nuts, basil, and a few other ingredients to bring that extra flavor, and it all came together to make a great meal or side that'd be perfect for your next picnic!
Ingredients
- 14.5 oz14.5 oz14.5 oz Pasta, (Barilla ProteinPLUS Penne)

- 1 bunch1 bunch1 bunch Asparagus, 20 spears
- 1 cup1 cup1 cup Tomato, Cherry, halved

- 1/4 cup1/4 cup1/4 cup Pine Nuts

- 555 Basil, Fresh, chopped

- 1/21/21/2 Lemon Juice, 1/2 lemon squeezed
- 1/41/41/4 Parmesan Cheese, shredded or shaved

- 1 Tbsp1 Tbsp1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/4 tsp1/4 tsp1/4 tsp Sea Salt

- 1/4 tsp1/4 tsp1/4 tsp Black Pepper

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Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
- Cook the Barilla ProteinPLUS Penne according to the directions on the box.
- Remove the bottoms from the asparagus, and bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (may also grill or steam until tender instead).
- Cut the asparagus spears into thirds.
- Toast the pine nuts on the stove top until they begin to turn golden (about 3- 5 minutes).
- In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients until well blended. I reserved some of the pine nuts, basil, and parmesan to top it all off, but feel free to mix it all in if desired.
- Serve warm or refrigerate to serve as a pasta salad, and enjoy!
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About This Recipe
Show nutritional information
Coconut Free Other Pescetarian Shellfish Free Side Dishes Sugar Alcohol Free Sugar Free Vegetarian| This is our estimate based on online research. | |
| Calories: | 1920 |
| Fat: | 54 g |
| Carbohydrates: | 96 g |
| Protein: | 251 g |
| Cholesterol: | 0 g |
| Sodium: | 4208 mg |
| Fiber: | 27 g |
| Sugars: | 5 g |
| Sugar Alcohol: | 0 g |
| Calculated per 4 as a meal or 7 as an appetizer. | |




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