Penne and Broccoli with Tomatoes, Walnuts, and Raisins

This dish is filled with a variety of delicious flavors and textures, along with the tremendously healthful ingredients:  broccoli is loaded with calcium and vitamin C and nutrient-rich walnuts are a good source of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid.  If you have fresh herbs on hand, use them instead of dried. Recipe is from Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson © 2011, published by John Wiley & Sons.

Serves: 4

• 1 pound broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 pound penne
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Steam or blanch the broccoli until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts, raisins, parsley, basil, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice, crushed tomatoes, and sugar and simmer until the liquid reduces slightly. Add the reserved broccoli and toss to heat through.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it well and return to the pot. Add the broccoli mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve hot.

Variation: Substitute pine nuts for the walnuts.

Robin Robertson is the author of numerous cookbooks, including  Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker and many other titles. Visit Robin at Global Vegan Kitchen.

• Here are more hearty vegan pasta recipes.
• Here for more broccoli and cauliflower recipes.