This tasty pasta dish could help your blood sugar

This super-simple pasta dish, highlighting asparagus, lemon and herbs and finished with a ricotta sauce, is perfect for a light spring supper.

• 125 ml (1/2 c) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 125 ml (1/2 c)  freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
• 10 ml (2 tsp) freshly grated lemon zest
• 10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 500 ml (2 c) whole wheat penne
• 450 g (1 lb) asparagus, stem ends snapped off, cut into 4 cm (1 1/2 in) lengths

Preparation time 15 minutes. Cooking time eight to 10 minutes. Serves 4.

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking the penne.
2. Stir the ricotta, 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) of the Parmesan, the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl until smooth.
3. Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for four minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until the penne is al dente (just tender) and the asparagus is tender, four to six minutes longer.
4. Reserve 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and asparagus and place in a large bowl.
5. Add the 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) reserved pasta cooking water to the ricotta mixture, whisking until smooth.
6. Toss the pasta with the ricotta sauce. Pass the remaining Parmesan separately.

In step 3, omit the asparagus; cook the penne for eight to 12 minutes. While the penne is cooking, cook one 300 gram (10 ounce) package of frozen spinach according to package directions. In step 4, toss the penne with the ricotta sauce and spinach.

Per serving:

• 306 calories
• 15 g protein
• 49 g carbohydrates
• 7 g fibre, 6 g total fat
• 2 g saturated fat
• 16 mg cholesterol
• 482 mg sodium

Bulking up a pasta dish with vegetables can be as easy as tossing veggies into the boiling water along with the pasta. Just watch the timing. In most cases, add the vegetables midway through cooking.