Beetroot, Walnut & Watercress Pasta

This recipe brings a delicious balance of Summer flavours ideal for an easy evening, but also plates beautifully - great for entertaining! Nutritionally this dish packs in plenty of fibre, with the option to add protein and a good proportion of beneficial micro-nutrients which are great for those wanting to improve their gut health.

160g Whole Wheat linguine*
250g Beetroot - cubed 1cm
100g Chestnut Mushrooms
70g Watercress
40g Walnuts - crushed
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1tbsp Shallot Onion - diced
3 sprigs of Fresh Thyme
1/2 Lemon Juiced
1tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper and Sea Salt for Seasoning
*Warning! Contains known allergens

Step 1. Put pasta water on to boil
Step 2. Cook shallots and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil. Add the mushrooms once the shallots have softened and are translucent in appearance
Step 3. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions indicate. This is usually 8-10 minutes for dry pasta
Step 4. Add the beetroot, liquid from the packet and half the walnuts to the shallots and mushrooms. Add black pepper and fresh (or dried) thyme. Heat through the mixture
Step 5. Drain the pasta (saving a bit of pasta water) and add to the beetroot mixture
Step 6. Toss the pasta in the beetroot and liquid and cook for another minute or so. Add a squeeze of lemon juice here too
Step 7. Now it's time to plate! Top the pasta with the rest of the walnuts and fresh watercress

Protein Options: You could add around 80g of a low-fat protein of your choice to boost the protein value in this recipe. Great protein choices include poached chicken breast, an oily fish such as salmon or mackerel, chickpeas or roasted tofu.
Chef Gino's Top Tip: If you have a bit more time, roasting your own beetroot from scratch is a great way to improve the dish! To do this, thoroughly scrub your beets, leaving the skin on and remove the leaves. Save the best looking ones for salad. For best results roast whole for 1 hour at 180 degrees with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and thyme. If you can, source organic beetroot, the flavour is even richer!

Calories — 524kcal || 26%
Fat — 22g || 34%
Saturated Fat — 2g || 10%
Carbs — 76g || 25%
Fibre — 14g || 50%
Sugar — 13g || 0%
Protein — 18g || 36%
Sodium — 19mg || 1%
Calcium — 99mg || 9%
Iron — 4mg || 29%
Vitamin D — 4IU || 1%
Magnesium — 45mg || 11%
The % RDI is the recommended daily intake for an adult consuming ap-prox. 2000 calories/day. You may need to adjust serving sizes depending on your individual health goals.