Quail Run Ranch

Pasta with green beans and more….

I recently read a book by Valter Longo called “The Longevity Diet”. I decided that it really needs to be entitled The Longevity Lifestyle because he doesn’t talk only about food but also how to conduct your life to make the most of it and the healthy length of it.  A long time ago I read David Sinclair’s book “Lifespan” and more recently Dan Buettner’s book “The Blue Zones” so I was already familiar with the concepts. I am 100% on board with living this way and actually I have been for a long time. I started eating and living with health in mind in 1969 and then it really revved into high gear in 1977.

Anyway, this is why Quail Run Ranch has a very big vegetable garden. We love fresh vegetables!

Valter offered a recipe from Sardinia that I thought sounded really good, so I made it and it is! Good, that is!

Pasta e vaianeia (pasta with green beans and more)

Ingredients:

1 cup canned navy beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 cups green beans, washed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 medium carrots, sliced

1 medium potato, cubed

1 cup zucchini, sliced

1 large tomato quartered

2 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press

5 leaves basil, chopped

1-2 cups cooked pasta, any shape

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon parmesan reggiano cheese, optional

Instructions:

    Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the potatoes and carrots. Parboil until they are al dente.

    Add the green beans and parboil until just cooked. Add the zucchini and parboil until just cooked

    Add the tomato and when cooked smash it with a fork. Remove the loose skin from the pot. Add the garlic and basil and cook until the garlic doesn’t taste raw.

    Drizzle with olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed and heated through. Spoon some pasta into a bowl and ladle vegetables over the top. Sprinkle with parmesan to your liking.