Broccoli Rabe, White Bean & Fontina Pasta

Use any vegetable in place of pungent broccoli rabe to make this a family-pleaser. Make it a Meal: round out the meal with a fresh salad of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

• 8 ounces whole-wheat shells, fusilli or chiocciole
• 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, or 8 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
• 2/3 cup Toasted Breadcrumbs, optional (see Tip)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions. Stir in broccoli rabe (or spinach) during the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Dry the pot.
2. Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Add beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and the pasta and broccoli rabe (or spinach). Cook, stirring, until the mixture is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add cheese, stirring until it melts. Serve immediately, topped with Toasted Breadcrumbs, if using.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Per serving: 444 calories; 13g fat (4g sat, 7g mono); 16mg cholesterol; 70g carbohydrates; 23g protein; 13g fiber; 750mg sodium; 441mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (170% daily value), Vitamin A (150% dv), Iron (25% dv), Calcium (20% dv).
4 Carbohydrate Serving(s)
Exchanges: 4 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

Tip: To make toasted breadcrumbs, trim the crusts from 2 slices of whole-wheat sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor into coarse crumbs. Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

DISCLAIMERS
Scaling Disclaimer: EatingWell recipes are tested extensively in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. EatingWell cannot guarantee a recipe that has been scaled to make a different number of servings from the original. Also note that scaling only applies to the ingredient measurements: no adjustment is made to the recipe instructions, so pan sizes and cooking times and ingredient amounts referred to in the text of the recipe only apply to the original number of servings.