Hazelnut, Chilli and Garlic Pasta

Hazelnut, chilli and garlic pasta

Changes to Australia's Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) for nutrients has seen the requirement for a number of nutrients increase, which begs the question: can we meet all our nutritional needs naturally through our diet or are supplements necessary?

Dr Katrine Baghurst, formerly of the CSIRO, has developed dietary models to determine which combination of foods best meets the new Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Her findings suggest that including nuts in the diet is very important for reaching required levels of many essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Ingredients

400g spaghetti pasta
1½ tablespoons olive oil
100g chopped hazelnuts
1 long red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and cracked black pepper

Method:

1.Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Drain, return to pan and keep warm. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
2. Add the hazelnuts, chilli and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Remove from heat, stir through parsley, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the hazelnut mixture through the pasta and serve.
Serves 4.

Nutrient content per serve
Energy 1425kJ (340kcal), Protein 8g, Total fat 23g, Saturated fat 2g (9% of total fat), Monounsaturated fat 17g, Polyunsaturated fat 3g, Carbohydrates 26g, Fibre 5g