Dining with D’Amico: Quick Spinach and Pasta Sauté

Healthy eating and college don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand, but knowing the right tricks can help turn eating right into a daily routine. So have a seat and dine with D’Amico, your guide for navigating the health-food scene without taking a chunk out of your schedule.

Being Italian it’s not often that I eat pasta unless I’m with family, but sometimes I’m at school and the cravings for carbs just won’t go away. I had the idea for this dish while looking up healthy recipes online and I was inspired. I decided to throw together some of my favorite ingredients and it turned out great! If you’re looking for a fast and easy pasta dish that’s homemade try this one out.

What you’ll need:

2 cups spinach
1 cup whole wheat pasta (something with shapes like rotini)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ diced white onion
1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese  

What to do:

1. Boil water and cook pasta for 7 minutes.

2. Drain and rinse pasta, then set aside.

3. Caramelize the onions using half of the balsamic vinegar until they smell sweet.

4. Add the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt.

5. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar and stir ingredients until the spinach is completely wilted.

6. Toss the pasta in the pan and mix until it’s fully coated with the juices from the onion and balsamic.

7. Serve in a bowl and top with parmesan cheese.

8. Enjoy!

Photos by Jose Miguel Ponte