Tomato, olive and basil pasta is a fantastic recipe if you need a quick meal in minutes. The meal will take you less than ten minutes to make and it can be adapted for a vegan, vegetarian or a meat eater. It’s great because it really is very simple and it tastes amazing. Also, it contains a few of my favourite foods theat are packed with goodness which I hope you like too.
The first of my favourite ingredients is basil. Basil is known as the king of herbs and for many years it was used for medicinal properties rather than its culinary value. Just like other herbs, basil contains essential oils and phytochemicals in the leaves, stem flowers, roots and and seeds that can have a biological effect on the body. Basil is an excellent source of nutrients and vitamins which include vitamin K, iron, calcium and vitamin C. It can help protect the cell walls from free radical damage. Free radical damage is a contributing factor in many conditions including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
My next favourite ingredient in this delicious pasta dish is olives. Olives are as unique as they are extraordinary. They are also packed with free radical antioxidants which help with a number of different diseases including heart disease, stroke, DNA damage and cancer. Studies have proven that they are good for the heart. Olives are a good source of several vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin E and calcium. These vitamins and minerals can help with the risk of heart disease and they help with bone muscle and nerve function. Below is a video and recipe for you.
So this pasta dish is delicious and healthy. It’s packed full of essential foods the body needs and enjoys. We enjoy eating this meal on a warm summers day, if it’s really hot and I don’t want to spend too long in the kitchen. For those of you wondering how I’m eating pasta, I always use brown rice pasta now. We buy it in bulk from Amazon and it’s lovely.
Serves 4
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- Bowl
- Tablespoon
- Teaspoon
- Saucepan
- Colander
Ingredients
- Pasta x 300g
- Olives x 60 small
- Cherry tomatoes x 2 large handfuls
- Basil x 1 handful
- Olive oil x 8 tbsp
- Apple cider vinegar x 4 tbsp
- Garlic x 2 cloves
- Honey x 2 tsp (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Put the saucepan with water in it on a high heat and bring to the boil.
- Place the pasta into the water and cook as per packet instructions.
- Meanwhile slice the garlic then make the salad dressing.
- In the bowl add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, honey (optional) and salt and pepper and mix together.
- Next chop the tomatoes in half and add them to the salad dressing.
- Tip from Jamie Oliver: Give them a bit of a squeeze before they go in to add extra flavour to your pasta.
- Then add the olives and mix again.
- Once the pasta has cooked, drain in the colander and add to the salad dressing mixture.
- Toss the dish together, serve and enjoy.
Tomato, olive and basil pasta is a great dish for the whole family to enjoy. As I have mentioned in the title it can be adapted to vegan, vegetarian and meat eaters meals. It’s already a vegan meal but if you want to make it vegetarian you could add some parmesan. For a meat eater or even fish eater just add a bit of cooked chicken or bacon or you could add tuna or salmon to this meal as well. The dish is also great because it can be adapted to suit your food tastes on the day. It’s like a basic salad dressing that’s easy to change. However you decide to eat it, as always, please enjoy.
Googies Kitchen Life 