• 12 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 6 ½ cups fresh broccoli florets, no stems
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of (salted) water to a boil. Add pasta and broccoli at the same time and cook according to pasta instructions until al dente. When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta and broccoli.

2. Return the pot to the stove and set heat to high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add garlic. Cook garlic until golden, then reduce heat to low and add pasta back to the pot. Mix well.

3. Add remaining olive oil and grated cheese. Mix well being sure to smash any large pieces of broccoli. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and mix well, adding more if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tips:

Try whole-wheat pasta to increase your fiber and work toward the DASH diet recommendation to make half your grains whole.