It’s no secret that most of us are on the lookout for simple ways to up our protein and fiber intake—these two are like the prom king and queen when it comes to top-of-mind nutrients. That said, getting sufficient quantities of them can be challenging, especially when cooking a meal from scratch is on the table (pun intended).
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One solution? Adding protein and fiber-packed beans to your meals… and lupini beans are one supercharged, super-delicious option.
A little background: Last year, Well+Good predicted that lupini beans would be the ~coolest beans~ in town in 2023, and the sentiment stands. And what’s not to love? According to Isabelle Steichen, the co-founder and CEO of Lupii, a lupini-based food company, lupini beans have the *most* protein and fiber among all beans, plus all nine essential amino acids. Yo.
Ahead, we’re sharing two exclusive protein-packed lupini bean pasta recipes that are surefire ways of adding tons of plant-based nutrition to your weekly meal prep routine.
Lupii Pasta Sampler — $20.00
Why lupini beans are a great source of essential nutrients
Sure, you can eat lupini beans on their own, but the founders of Lupii discovered that they taste just as great in pasta form [insert caption obvious joke here]. As such, late last year, the company launched its line of lupini-based pasta products, which come in three different varieties: penne, elbow, and rotini.
But why bean-based pasta? Well, it’s simple: Lupini pasta offers a boatload of protein and tons more gut-friendly fiber than the usual run-of-the-mill pasta ingredients—think wheat-based flour and so on. In fact, just a two-ounce serving of lupini-based pasta offers 12 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein. For context, traditional pasta has about seven grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Meanwhile, chickpea-based pasta has 12 grams of protein, yet only five grams of fiber per the same-sized serving.
Although lupini bean pasta on its own stands to offer a bevy of nutrients and benefits, why stop there when you can easily up the stakes even more? In anticipation of back-to-school season, the folks at Lupii have teamed up with Jenné Claiborne, an NYC-based vegan personal chef, cooking instructor, and the creator behind Sweet Potato Soul, to offer us two exclusive recipes packed with gluten-free plant-based nutrition, packed with protein and 80 percent (!) of your daily fiber intake.
On the menu: Pasta arrabbiata, an Italian-style spicy sauce made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers cooked in olive oil, and an easy avocado pasta salad with grilled veggies. LE SWOON.
Pasta arrabbiata recipe
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients1 box penne pasta or any other short pasta2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil5 cloves garlic minced2 14.5-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce1-2 Tsp red chili flakes (plus more to taste)1 Tsp dry oregano1 Tsp cane sugarSea salt to taste
1. In a saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the minced garlic and a pinch of red chili flakes. Sauté until the garlic turns slightly golden. Be careful not to burn it!
3. Add the tomato sauce, and stir; careful, it will pop a little. Then add in the remaining red chili flakes, oregano, and sugar. Stir well.
4. Gently simmer on low heat for 20 minutes with the lid ajar on the saucepan.
5. Season to taste with salt.
6. To make the pasta: boil eight quarts of salted water, add Lupii pasta and boil for six to seven minutes. Drain well, then toss immediately with the arrabbiata sauce.
Avocado pasta salad with grilled veggies
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients1 box LUPii fusilli pasta1/2 bunch asparagus1 large zucchini or yellow squash sliced1 cup cherry tomatoes halved1 ripe avocado pitted (plus another 1/2 avocado, cubed for tossing with veggies)1 cup fresh basil leaves + more for garnish1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts1-2 cloves raw garlic choppedJuice of 1/2 lemon, about 1-2 Tbsp2 Tbsp olive oil1/2 Tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)1/4 Tsp black pepper
1. To make the pasta: boil eight quarts of salted water, add Lupii pasta, and boil for six to seven minutes. Drain well, then toss immediately with a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside to cool.
2. Toss the asparagus and zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and spread evenly onto a grill pan or baking sheet.
3. Broil the vegetables for 10 minutes.
4. In a food processor, combine the avocado flesh, basil, pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until creamy. Add water or more oil to thin, if needed. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Toss the pesto avocado sauce with the cooled pasta, then add in the grilled veggies, tomatoes, and remaining avocado, and toss some more.
6. Serve garnished with fresh basil and black pepper.
Pasta every day? Say no more:
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