Chickpea and Tomato Pasta

I pulled this recipe off of the Rachael Ray Show website. I saw her make it one day. Chickpeas? Love them! Tomatoes? Love those too! Pasta- I think we all know how I feel about whole wheat pasta! I couldn't pass this up. It's got a little kick to it too which makes it more fun that just spaghetti! i used the curly guys, but you could use penne, or shells, or any kind of pasta you like!

Skinny Shopping List:

1 pound of whole wheat pasta

3 T EVOO

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated

1 fresh sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (2 healthy pinches)

Black pepper to taste

1 can 14-18 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 T tomato paste

1 cup chicken stock

1 28 oz can Italian crushed tomatoes (or regular, and add your own italian spices)

Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Fresh or dried parsley for garnish

Quick Fix:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook to al dente.

Meanwhile, heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, rosemary, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook 7-8 minutes until very tender.

Pulse the chickpeas in a blender or food processor to fine chop them. DON'T puree them, you aren't going for hummus. You just want the chick peas to be distributed throughout the sauce! Once ready, add them to the skillet.

Now add tomato paste and stir. Add chicken broth as well as 28oz can of tomatoes. Salt and pepper if needed

You've got a healthy sauce cooking up right there. Proteins coming from a 99 cent can of beans instead of a 5 dollar package of chicken!

Once pasta is ready, drain, and then toss with sauce and serve. Top with parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Serve and ENJOY :) I had the leftovers the next day for lunch, and my were they tasty. Even better than on day 1!