Ready in 30 minutes plus “shucking” time

Serves 8 people

315 Calories

• Cooked pasta of choice  12 oz dry
• Milk of choice   ½ cup
• Chick Peas or other white bean ½ can
• Cumin    1 tsp
• Curry    1 tsp
• Garlic powder (or fresh garlic) 1 TBSP 
• Garlic salt    1-3 tsp
• Onion Powder   1-3 tsp
• Paprika    1 tsp
• Salt    1 tsp
• Pepper    1 tsp
• Mustard powder   pinch
• Umami powder   pinch
• Mix of cheddar, mexican, mozzarella, parmesan cheeses   Approx 1 ½ cups total
• Optional:
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Pickle brine
  • Habanero salt or other heat source
  • Peas
  • Spinach 
  • Breadcrumbs and butter
  • Chicken or other protein of choice

1. Prepare bean and chickpea “rue” Drain and rinse chickpeas. Optional: “shuck” the chickpeas. It gives the cheese mixture a smoother texture.
2. Combine ½ can of chickpeas and ½ cup of milk and blend until smooth. 
3. Cook the pasta to your preferred done-ness
4. While the pasta is cooking, toast the spices. Heat your sauce pan to medium heat. Once up to temp, throw in your spices and mix occasionally.
5. Once the spices are toasted, turn the heat down and add the rue. Stir frequently until simmering. Cook for ~ 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the cheese.
7. Optional
   • Stir in extra protein

1. Taste test!
2. Stir in pasta
3. Optional
   • Top with breadcrumbs and throw in the broiler for a couple minutes
   • Add spinach or cooked peas

I enjoy a little more acidity and salt, so I often stir in some low sodium soy sauce and/or pickle brine before the cheese.

I enjoy heat with my food, so I add extra with the habanero salt or ghost pepper salt.

For the Rue: I use an immersion blender. Also, I blend the whole can with a full cup of milk then freeze the leftovers for next time.

A can of low sodium chicken adds a little extra protein.

I stumbled upon a very bland version of this recipe years ago, before I actually enjoyed vegetables, and I’ve learned from experience, Don’t skip the shucking! And don't be shy with the spices. This recipe could easily become bland without everything that I’ve added, and I know it looks like a lot, but I’m lucky enough that I have a pretty well stocked spice cabinet. If you’re limited for spices, use cumin, garlic, onion, garlic salt as your base, and build on it from there. 

I have begun adding extra veggies to my portion, which is easy enough to do as long as you heat up a small serving ahead of time and season it up a bit. Then I just stir it into my serving only.

I don’t typically have the patience, but it adds a nice texture to top it with bread crumbs and broil it for a bit.

Also, I like to make a whole pound of pasta and leave a couple ounces out for my picky youngest son. It still makes leftovers for at least 1 if not 2 other dinners for the 3 of us, and it freezes well.