Thursday, July 8, 2010

Lemon and Swiss Chard Cream Pasta

Are you still looking for yummy ways to cook all your swiss chard? This pasta is usually made completely with Basil but I substituted Swiss Chard and it turned out delicious! This recipe is very quick, so start the pasta first. It will take the longest to cook. Let me know what you think!

Lemon and Swiss Chard Cream Pasta

3 Cups Swiss Chard
1/2 Cup Basil
1 TB garlic
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Kefir
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Package of Farfalle Pasta (bowtie)

Place olive oil, garlic, greens, and milk into the blender. Blend until liquid. Pour into a saucepan and heat on low. Stir in the lemon juice. When pasta is finished, add in the parmesan cheese and stir till melted. Immediately, pour over the bowtie pasta.

I keep slices of fresh lemon and parmesan to add on top. So good!

Exchanges:
Some exchanges you can make if you do not have the kefir:
1. add all milk.
2. add 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup sour cream (for a richer dish)
3. add two cups of heavy cream only (if you really want to indulge in a creamy pasta)

I think kefir is a good choice because of its probiotics. They help our digestive systems stay healthy. As long as you do not heat the pasta to extremely hot, you should not destroy the good bacteria in this dish.

Once again, swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse. I love finding new ways to cook this amazing green.

Here's to a great summer dish!
DandelionHeart