ROASTED CHESTNUTS AND SAGE PASTA

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TOTAL TIME: 60 mins        

MAKES: 2 servings

”There’s something about the smell of roasted chestnuts that just makes winters more warm and welcoming. Fun Fact: Did you know that smell can trigger memories better than any other senses, because the olfactory bulb has direct connections to two brain areas that are strongly implicated in emotion and memory: the amygdala and hippo-campus. Enjoy this humble nut while its in season and reap all of it goodness”

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup roasted and shelled chestnuts
  • 4 cups of cooked pasta
  • 6-7 leaves of sage finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp. of butter
  • 1 tsp. of apple sauce
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. of fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp. of oregano
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).  Using a small knife, make an X cut on the rounded side of the chestnut and arrange them on a baking tray. Roast them for about 15 -20 mins. Then remove them and tightly wrap in a kitchen towel and let them continue to pop.
  • While the chestnuts are roasting, cook your pasta.
  • Once the chestnuts are cool enough to handle, shell them and blend them with about ½ cup of water into a smooth creamy sauce.
  • Add the apple sauce, 1 tbsp. of grated Parmesan and ½ tsp. salt to the blender.
  • In a saucepan, on medium heat, melt the butter and add the sage leaves and garlic to it. Once the butter turns light brown and the sage leaves are crisp, add the sauce to the pan and sauté for a little bit.
  • Now add in the pasta and coat with the sauce.
  • Add in the apple cider vinegar, thyme and oregano.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve warm with garlic bread.

 HOLISTIC HIGHLIGHTS

Chestnuts have high fiber content and are also loaded with B vitamins, vitamin C, manganese and copper. They are also low in their fat content compared to any other nut and hence make a great snack while trying to regulate your weight and blood sugar levels. Add chopped chestnuts to a bowl of oatmeal for a manganese-packed breakfast or to your salads to ramp up your B-vitamin intake. Pair roasted chestnuts with dried prunes for a snack high in copper.

Sage is known for its natural antiseptic, preservative and bacteria-killing abilities in meat. Like oregano, it doubles the potency of insulin so that less is required to process sugar. A sage tea, has been called the "thinker's tea" and even helps ease depression.

MainDalerina DsilvaChestnuts, Sage, Pasta