Healthy Pasta Primavera Recipe: Using Food As Medicine Is a 2023 Trend by Ann Marie G. Halstead

According to Southern Living, there are a dozen food trends that Southern chefs will be cooking up in 2023. That means, we’ll be seeing them on menus this year. Here is the diverse list:

• canned seafood
• Asian-inspired BBQ
• nixtamalization beyond corn
• retro dishes
• goodbye sous vide
• food as medicine
• eatertainment
• ancient grains
• a lighter version of grandma’s cooking
• non-alcoholic spirits and drinks
• mushrooms
• dressing up affordable cuts of meat

I was excited to see some trends on this list, such as mushrooms (I absolutely love mushrooms), retro dishes (I’m big on history and nostalgia) and non-alcoholic spirits and drinks (I enjoy cocktails whether alcoholic or virgin). I found others to be intriguing, like eatertainment and a lighter version of grandma’s cooking. Nixtamalization sent me looking for more information because I am not very familiar with this process. The top 12 food trend that I’m most interested in, though, has to be food as medicine.

I’ve been struggling with some new health issues the past few years, and as a result I’ve started to pay more attention to my diet. I welcome the idea of food as medicine and have been open to learning more about it. I’ve learned about superfoods like blueberries and avocado, the Mediterranean diet and more. I’m trying to eat a more plant-based diet as best I can. 

One of my favorite dishes has always been pasta primavera, which originated in my home state of New York. It is colorful, filled with vegetables and also includes pasta, which is a comfort food for me. This pasta primavera recipe is a great one! It’s considered part of the Mediterranean diet and is mostly plant-based. Pasta primavera may not be a new food trend, but food as medicine is, and I’m here for it. You can add even more vegetables to this pasta recipe, such as olives, mushrooms, asparagus, spinach or carrots, if desired.

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 10 ounces dry pasta (bowties, penne, rigatoni, linguini, etc.)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
• 1 medium yellow squash, sliced into quarter portions
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into quarter portions
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (divided)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Here’s how to make it:

1. Bring a large sauce pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions or until al dente (be careful not to overcook the pasta). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and bell pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add the squash and zucchini and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables have nearly softened (you want vegetables to be tender with a lightly crisp texture). Add the garlic, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Cook about 2 more minutes.
3. Mix together the vegetables and cooked pasta. Drizzle in the lemon juice. Season with a little more salt, to taste. Toss while adding in pasta water to loosen, as desired.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and parsley. Serve with remaining Parmesan on top.

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