We all know what Wednesday is in this house… Pasta Day. I had a few mushrooms left over from the pakora the other night so wanted to use them in my pasta dish and I thought they would work well with a picante sauce. This dish takes about half an hour from start to finish, so lovely and quick when you need a quick healthy tea. I was going to do penne picante but couldn’t find any wholewheat penne in my store so just used my wholewheat spaghetti that I had in and it worked just as well.

I went all out for it in my Body pump class this morning, I need to slowly increase my weights, but today I lobbed on an extra 2.5 kilos on each side for the ‘clean and press’, bear in mind that I’m only on 5kg each side to start with, my little arms were shaking trying to get that bar above my head, like the pasta, I have serious spaghetti arms which are taking me an age to improve, but slowly, slowly I’ll get there! I’m seeing some great results since I started Boot Camp as well, the intensive cardio seems to shedding the lumps and bumps that have been niggling me.

Picante Mushroom Pasta with Olive Tapenade Toast (Vegan with a gluten free option)

MyInspiration Feel The Difference Range

Serves 2 – ready in half an hour

250g Wholewheat spaghetti (GF use Gluten Free Pasta of your choice)

1/2 red onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp red chili flakes

1/2 tbsp dried basil

1 can chopped tomatoes

6 button mushrooms, washed and quartered

8 Cherry tomatoes quartered

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Black pepper to season

For the Tapenade Toast

2 slices wholewheat bread (GF use Gluten free bread of your choice0

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1 clove garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Prepare the pasta by adding it to a pan of hot water, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12 – 15 minutes

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp water in a sauce pan and add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes before adding in the tin tomatoes, spices and lemon juice, then turn the heat down to low, add 1/4 cup of water and stir through and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally add in the cherry tomatoes after 7 minutes just to heat them though.

3. Now preheat your grill, pop the mushrooms and garlic in a container and using a stick blender blitz until smooth (or pop it in your food processor) then stir through the lemon juice and thyme. Pop your bread under the grill to toast, then turn it over and only slightly toast the other side before spreading overt the tapenade and popping bacck under the grill for a minute or two.

4. Serve all together, with a couple of left over olives scattered over the top and a pinch of black pepper.