day 10 - small: healthy eating [pumpkin, kale, + cheese pasta]

31 Days Index

You might've read here that I'm into being intentional about what I feed my little family. You aaaalso might've read that I'm new at learning my way around the kitchen. Remember: if I can cook it, you can definitely cook it.

If you're like me, anything pumpkin from September-November screams, "TRY ME! NOW!" I pinned this recipe on Pinterest and tweaked because I'm a wannabe kitchen goddess I didn't feel like going to the grocery store. Truth! Work with what you have. And guess what? I didn't ruin anything. It was still good. And it had a lot more kick to it than I expected. Win!

Now, let's get to it...pumpkin, kale, and cheese pasta!
[you can find the original recipe sans-Elise-tweaks here]

Ingredients
1 box whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)
2 tbsp butter
2-3 heaping cups of kale, large stems removed
1 can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp thyme
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
[Optional: breadcrumbs and extra cheese for the baking! -- I left this part out but still let it bake for a bit]

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to directions. In the meantime, melt your 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the thyme and kale. Stir mixture and let the kale crisp for about 3 minutes.

Next, add the can of pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup milk, and cheese to the skillet. Stir to combine until the mixture is warm and your cheese has melted. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper (give or take to your liking).

Combine the pumpkin, cheese, and kale mixture with drained pasta. Mix together and pour into a casserole dish.

Add extra cheese and/or breadcrumbs on top if you wish! Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden.

How 'bout it?! It works as your main dish or as a side! Pumpkin YUM.