Roasted Red Onion and Butternut Squash Rigatoni with Fontina

I love pasta. I always have. It can be difficult to find a pasta recipe that not only tastes good, but is good for you. Many of the traditional pastas we grew up eating tend to have empty carbs and very low nutrition. Over the past couple of years, I have come across some delicious out of the box pasta dishes that provide the comforting satisfaction from pasta, but offer much more from a nutritional standpoint. Here is one recipe I tried that turned out delicious!

Roasted Red Onion and Butternut Squash Rigatoni with Fontina
- a large butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 2 red onions, cut into small wedges
- 1 clove garlic minced
- fresh sage (about a tbsp chopped or more if you like)
- tbsp olive oil
- Whole wheat rigatoni pasta (about 1/2 lb.)
- shredded fontina cheese (about 1/4 cup)
- salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place squash, onions, sage, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper on a lined baking sheet. Toss well. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. Set aside a 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Mix in vegetables, cheese and pasta water.

This dish is only about 380 calories a serving. Red onions have antibacterial properties and are good for your bones. Your heart will love you if you eat butternut squash. Whole grain pasta keeps you full and your stomach happy. And the cheese? well...its just delicious ;-)

Happy Eating!