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Irresistible Flavors: Italian Made Fresh
The scent of wholesome, fragrant ingredients will entice you to the kitchen.

above, left: Fresh Vegetable Penne features a sauce made from pureed butternut squash with a supporting cast of leeks, garlic, sweet peas, sage, and cheese.
above, right: Toss together White Bean-and-Asparagus Salad as a flavorful side dish. It's great served with grilled chicken or flank steak.

To prepare the leeks for Fresh Vegetable Penne, wash them thoroughly to remove grit and dirt. Slice off the ends and dark green leaves. Cut the white leek center lengthwise. Thinly slice or chop the long sections.
Recipes:
1. Fresh Vegetable Penne
2. White Bean-and-Asparagus Salad
3. Italian Caramelized Oranges
4. Spaghetti With Mint-and-Garlic Tomato Sauce

The smell of fresh garlic sizzling on your cooktop, the scent of fresh sage, and a simple tomato sauce seasoned with mint are sure to make your mouth water. These recipes are guaranteed to reinvigorate your cooking regimen. Built around fresh and healthy ingredients, their flavors are irresistible--and you'll reap plenty of health benefits too. Boot the idea of oily restaurant pasta swimming with butter. The best Italian in town is at your house tonight.


Making Smart Choices
Follow these tips to great flavor and good nutrition.

  • Whole wheat pasta offers more fiber than white durum pasta. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and increases satiety, reducing the tendency to overeat.
  • Tomatoes, whether canned or fresh, are packed with cancer-fighting lycopene and vitamin C. Because of innovations at the packing plants, canned tomatoes sometimes retain even more lycopene than fresh.
  • Asparagus serves up crisp color, fiber, vitamins C and A, and folic acid. Cooking it activates the vitamins and minerals, making it more nutritious than eating it raw.

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    This article is from the April 2005 issue of Southern Living.

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