Lazy, Guiltless, Meatless Mondays: Broccoli Rabe

I have to admit, I had never heard of, eaten or seen broccoli rabe until last year when my boyfriend made it for me on our first date. He is italian (clearly) so broccoli rabe is like his lettuce. Bottom line is that it is delicious. I consider it a mix between broccoli and asparagus. For a quick vegetarian dinner filled with antioxidants and protein make it with spaghetti and white beans. It may sound a bit weird but beans and pasta go amazing together, especially tuscan or chickpeas.

1 cleaned bouquet of broccoli rabe

4 garlic cloves

fresh chopped parsley

1 can of tuscan beans

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1/2 of a roasted red pepper

1 small onion

cooked spaghetti

salt and pepper to taste

Cut 1 inch off of the stem of the broccoli rabe. Bring salted water to boil. Throw rabe in boiling water for like 7 mins or until tender. Once cooked, drain with cold water so it stops cooking. Pat dry. In a pan drizzle olive oil and two big cloves minced. When pan is fragrant (like 1 min) sautee broccoli rabe with salt and pepper. Put aside.

In another pan sauté garlic and chopped onion until caramelized (5 mins). Add drained beans, parsley, chopped roasted red pepper, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Cook for like 10 mins. When cooked simply serve beans on top of spaghetti and broccoli rabe on the side. If you rather toss everything together, lightly chop the broccoli rabe and in the same pan add spaghetti, beans and about 1/2 a cup of water from the spaghetti. The starch will make it creamy. Add parmesan cheese at the end. As much as you want.