Pasta Putanesca
3 points (without cheese, 4 points with cheese)
My mom and I made this one day last week, so I lied in my previous post that said we didn't make anything "blog worthy"! I had some left over sauce in the freezer, so last night I used that, added some more crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and heated through for a quick sauce. Note that *real* Pasta Putanesca has anchovies in it. I don't think it has carrots in it; I came up with that.

Sauce
Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
  
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 handful of baby carrots, minced
  
• 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 small jar of capers
• 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

Directions

• In large skillet, heat olive oil
• Add onion, garlic, carrots, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and saute a few minutes, until onion starts to look clear.
• At this point, you can deglaze the bottom of the skillet with a splash of red wine, if you have some. This obviously adds a little flavor, and will help you get some of the yummy stuff unstuck from the bottom of the skillet.
• Add crushed tomatoes and capers and stir through.
  
• Usually, I add more Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes now. Stir through.
• About 10 minutes before you're ready to eat (about the time you put your pasta in the boiling water), add the parsley.

Pasta
I use whole grain pasta. I usually make a 1/2 pound of spaghetti and 1/2 pound rotini (corkscrews) at the same time. Jeff likes diversity in his pasta. We usually have about 2 srevings of leftover pasta (and more servings of sauce, which can be frozen for future use for pasta or pizza). Just follow the directions on the pasta box you buy.

To serve, scoop 4 oz of cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of sauce into a bowl or plate.

I usually add about a point worth of shredded cheese, because this meal lacks protein. I have added garbanzo beans (smashed a little with a fork) a couple of times, for protein. Add probably another point per serving if you do that.

I really want to start making my own noodles. Once I do that successfully, I'll post here!!