“Spring Into Wellness” with this divine recipe: Pesto Rainbow Pasta with Roasted Vegetables. Eating all the colors of the rainbow on a weekly basis is important for our health. Every color offers different benefits to our bodies. For example:
RED foods have lycopene which is a phytochemical associated with preventing cancer.
ORANGE/YELLOW foods have beta-carotene which can be converted to vitamin A and used to protect our eyes and skin.
GREEN foods have lutein which helps keep our eyes healthy and clear.
BLUE/PURPLE foods have anthocyanins, an antioxidant found to prevent heart disease and reduce inflammation.
All these colors also offer many more benefits, too. When you eat the colors of the rainbow throughout the week, you can ensure that your body is getting a variety of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals which will help prevent disease and keep you strong. With this recipe, Pesto Rainbow Pasta with Roasted Vegetables, you are getting every color of the rainbow in one tasty dish. This recipe is delicious when eaten warm for dinner OR you can eat the leftovers at lunch. Yum! Yum!
Long-Term Health Goals: Try to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your weekly diet. Focus on eating at least one different color every day of the week. For example, Monday is a red day, Tuesday is an orange day, Wednesday is a yellow day, and so on. This way you can guarantee you get the rainbow of colors and benefits into your weekly routine and you rock your health.
Dreamfields Pasta has been very generous to sponsor a Giveaway where 1 lucky winner will receive a Family-Pack of Pasta and a Food Scale.
To enter the Giveaway, simply comment below and tell me how you will add the colors of the rainbow to your daily diet in order to “Spring Into Wellness.”
You can also Tweet your answer, comment on my Facebook page under the post and “like” Dreamfields Pasta Facebook Page (and leave me another comment stating you liked their page), or comment on my Instagram photo: Pesto Rainbow Pasta with Roasted Vegetables + Giveaway. Plus, for an increased chance to win – “like” or “follow” Dreamfields Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, and leave me another comment. It’s that simple.
This is a sponsored post for Dreamfields Pasta. All opinions and recipe creations are my own. I am endorsing this giveaway, which is being handled by Dreamfields Pasta, and am in no way responsible for the outcome.
- 3 cups uncooked Dreamfields Rotini pasta
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 red onion
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 carrot
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Pesto Sauce:
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- Cooking Spray
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese, basil, and/or red chili flakes to sprinkle on top (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450° Bake.
Slice the zucchini into medium rounds and halve again. Slice the red onion into slivers. Slice the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Slice the carrots into ½-inch rounds. Chop the tomatoes.
Chop the bell peppers into 1-inch cubes. Chop the basil.
Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray and add the zucchini, onion, eggplant, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and basil to the pan. Lightly spray the vegetables with a cooking spray. Toss with salt and fresh ground pepper, as desired. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside.
Make the pesto. In a food processor, combine the Parmesan cheese, parsley, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Puree.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, and pesto. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese, chopped basil, and/or red chili flakes, as desired.
For more delicious pasta recipes, check out:
Favorite Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta with Turkey Meatballs and Homemade Marinara Sauce
Italian Sausage Rigatoni
I hadn’t heard of Dreamsfield pasta before, but I’ll keep an eye out next time I’m at the store. Love the array of colors and nutrients you were able to bring in to the dish!
It’s delicious, Nikki! And it has a good amount of protein. Enjoy your colors! This dish is super tasty.
I will add the colors of the rainbow to my diet by eating salads on the sides of my meal and fruit for dessert.
Sounds like a fabulous plan! And fruit for dessert is a great way to get in extra vitamins and nutrients while cutting calories. Awesome!
I plan to include more veggies and fruits to my meals. I make a Roasted Veggie Pasta that is sooo yummy!
Awesome! Sounds delicious! I’m a huge fan of roasting veggies (as you can see). Roasting them is so simple and really brings out a lot of flavor.
We always add veggies to our macaroni and cheese. Peas are the favorite because of the sweet taste, but carrots are a close second. Our kids don’t complain about eating their veggies when we add them to things that they already like.
I agree. Add some veggies to something already delicious AND cheesy – you’ve got a winner dinner.
I like Dreamfields(and you) on Facebook as David Lintz
Sweet!
I “like” or “follow” Dreamfields(and you as well)on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest as 1froglegs or @1froglegs
Right on! Double whammy!
i have even told our favorite Italian restaurant about this pasta. It is the best.
Love it! Thank you!
Looks super yummy!
I’ll make it for you one day 🙂
Your colorful recipe appears enticing. We’ll keep an eye out for the Dreamfields pasta here in Oregon. Thanks.
The pasta is a great source of fiber, too! You’ll enjoy it.
I like to add veggies to most dishes to include the rainbow
I agree with that! Thanks Manda.
If there is a record for introducing people to Dreamfields, I have to be close to it haha. We LOVE it, & your rainbow pasta recipe was delicious. It gave me the idea to use the colors of the rainbow as a scale to measure by and incorporate into everything my family eats throughout the day. The fresher and brighter colored the better:) Thanks for such a simple idea! Can’t believe we haven’t thought of it sooner.
You’ve got it down now. You’ll be bursting with health from all those colors! Buen provecho 🙂
I really love the dream field pasta, but I am still not sure that carbs are correct, even in this dish it says the carbs are 2, that is impossible with tha pasta and the amount of vegetables. Please help me to understand
Hi Beckie! There’s 2 grams of saturated fat and 45 grams of carbs. Looks like you read the nutritional facts backwards 🙂
I eat fruit with my breakfast, snack on fruits and veggies throughout the day, eat salads for lunch.
Latanya: you’ve got your colors going on. Fantastic!
I follow” Dreamfields Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
Cool beans!
I am in the process of making this beautiful dish for dinner tonight. I use ONLY Dreamfields pastas since I found them years ago.
Lana: you are on a fabulous trend. They have such a variety of shapes. I love it. Enjoy the meal!
I love going to farmers markets and buying the most colorful veggies. When I make pasta I always wilt in spinach, toss in some peppers in a variety of colors, onions, squash, and mushrooms!!!
That sounds delicious, Shannon. And the adventure to the Farmer’s Market is fun. Here’s cheers to your health! Yes!
I hope this isn’t over …
I would make Pasta Salad with pepperoni, black olives, ham, and Italian dressing
Sounds divine Carolsue. And the giveaway is still going so you’re in the running
I liked Dreamfield Pasta on Facebook (Carolsue Anderson) and I left a comment about my above recipe on your Facebook page also.
Saw it. Thank you!
When we make chow mein we add all kinds of different veggies to give it more color & pizzazz. Can’t wait to try your pest pasta.
Sounds delicious Margherit. I’m such a fan of chow mein. Now I’m hungry…
Use more fruits and vegetables in recipes.
You got that right, Amy!
I have been trying to saute more vegetables for side dishes and making bellpepper pasta salad.
Sounds fabulous, Carla. Vegetables in side dishes are a great idea and I love pasta salad. Fabulous.
This pasta looks great for my kids. They need more veggies!
Your kids will love it Lauren. Always a good way to sneak veggies into yummy pasta dishes. 🙂