Healthy Pasta in Disguise ~Rich Taste with a Secret Ingredient ~

While watching Rachel Ray today and hearing her say that anytime she could feel good about eating pasta, she was happy; I thought what can I make that would be health conscious but taste like it's NOT!

This pasta dish offers nutritional benefits with high fiber and protein, but it's the taste that stole my heart and my family loved it!

There's a little secret ingredient I added that really makes this one pop with flavor and taste like a rich dish that is really not loaded with all the normal fats you might find in similar dishes.

Ingredients ~

1 13.25 oz. box Barilla whole wheat pasta shells, cooked for 6 minutes according to directions in liberally salted water
1 large shallot, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped baby bella mushrooms
2 T. butter
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. cracked pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 T. dijon mustard {secret ingredient}
2 c. baby spinach roughly chopped
3 ladles of pasta water
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
3 T. chopped fresh basil

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute shallot for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Add mushrooms and saute until they wilt slightly. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper.

Squirt lemon juice over saute mixture and cook another minute. Reduce heat.

Meanwhile, heat pasta water and add pasta. When pasta is nearly done -- about 5 minutes, turn heat up on the saute mixture again and ladle 3 scoops of water into  mixture. Add dijon mustard and stir to incorporate. Let it come to a very low bubble.

Drain pasta. Add to the saute mixture along with the spinach. Add Parmesan cheese and stir to melt. When the mixture has come together, serve with chopped fresh basil, a little extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
This tastes so rich, but the dijon and the pasta water are what really make this sauce come together to form a rich and creamy dish -- while the total fat normally found in lots of butter and cream is not here!!!