High-Fibre Rotini With Meat Chili and Pesto

Some cultures are fond of mixing beans with rice. You get your protein, fibre and carbs in a single dish. Add a bit of meat, a side of salad, a drink, and you’re all set. But if you’re not big on rice, or just can’t have much of it like myself, here’s a simple alternative: use whole-wheat or multi-grain rotini noodles or some small- footprint pasta with a bit of physical texture.

Remember the ground meat base that we made in bulk? We’re going to use it now to make some nice chunky chili. Since the meat is already cooked, and we’re only adding some vegetables and pasta sauce, everything is going to cook pretty fast.

If you’re deft at doing two things at once, you can cook the rotini at the same time. It tends to take twice as long for rotini as for something like spaghettini or spaghetti. Look at the ingredient list below and start up the chili first. Keep in mind that I rarely measure anything when I cook, so as usual, I’ll do my best to guess here. Instructions are approximately in order, with the occasional look-ahead suggestion.

Ingredients:

• Lots of water for the pasta. Follow the instructions on the pasta box, but if you’re cooking in bulk for use later in the week, undercook everything but the portion you plan to eat now. (Unless you plan to eat all of it within 2-3 days.)
• 1 tbsp salt for the pasta water.
• 1-2 tbsp cooking oil.
• 1/2 cup mirepoix (diced celery, carrot, onion). If you put lots of onion in the meat base, you can leave it out of the mirepoix. If you like your chili chunky, use large dice, otherwise use small dice.
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (canned is okay).
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups ground meat based made previously. Pre-thaw, if it’s frozen.
• 1 can red kidney beans (or white, if you prefer).
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (any combo of dried basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano).
• 2 cups pasta sauce.
• 1 cup water - more if necessary.
• Basil pesto
• Note that the above quantities will produce more than most singles or couples can eat in a single meal, especially if you add a salad.

Instructions:
You’ll be watching two pots at once. I’ve tried to give parallel instructions, but you’ll have to be diligent and watch things carefully.

• Set a large pot of water to boiling for the pasta. Don’t add salt until the water’s actually boiling or you can ruin the pot.
• Put 1-2 tbsp cooking oil in a sauce pot and set at medium high (7-8). Add the mirepoix and stir occasionally until the onions are translucent, between 1-2 minutes.
• Your pasta water is probably boiling by now. Add the salt, and after the water comes back to boiling, add the rotini and watch the clock.
• If the mushroom slices are raw, you can add them now to the mirepoix and saute for about 1 minute. Otherwise, add the mushrooms at the same times as the precooked ground meat base. Stir for about 2 minutes, to make sure the meat pieces loosen up a bit.
• Add the chili beans to the pot, without the liquid from the can. In fact, rinse the beans first if you can. Sprinkle on the Italian seasoning, and add the pasta sauce and water. Stir, and reduce the heat to medium. Kidney beans can burn at the bottom of the pot, so make sure you stir occasionally, while waiting for the pasta. Since everything in the sauce is either cooked or can be eaten raw, all you’re really doing is mixing everything together and heating it up.
• Back to the pasta. Again, if you’re making extra for later in the week, undercook the extra portions, remove, and rinse in a colander under cool running water. The portion being served can stay in the pasta water a bit longer, until al dente, or however you like it.
• Turn off the heat on both pots. Serve pasta in large bowls, top with your chili, and a dollop of basil pesto (pre-made or store-bought). I thought I had a recipe posted, but it doesn’t look like it.
• Add a side of salad. Finely diced onion and tomato, aka Middle Eastern salad, works nicely, or roughly chopped cukes and tomatoes.