Let’s face it, family life is busy.  You are coordinating school and sports schedules, after-school activities and trying to take some time for yourself, right?  Juggling it all and balancing meals for you and your family seems next to impossible.  I want to make it easier for you by looking at meal planning differently and finding simple solutions to nourish your whole crew.

October is National Pasta Month and I am thrilled to be partnering with Giovanni Rana, the maker of authentic Italian products including refrigerated pasta, sauces and ready-made dishes, for this post. What I love about these pastas is that they are not just straight-up carbs, but many of them offer nutritional balance with high quality protein, plus vitamins, such as riboflavin, thiamine and niacin, as well as minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium.  This bodes well for your total body wellness!  Plus, these pastas are convenient and quick to make as they go from the fridge to table in minutes.  Check them out in your local grocery store’s refrigerated section.

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As you may already know, I love to add vegetables to my meals.  Not only do vegetables add color, but they add a whole host of vitamins, minerals, fiber and health-enhancing plant compounds. . . you can’t go wrong with vegetables.

#sponsored I am celebrating #NationalPastaMonth with @giovanniranausa #ontheblog Spinach & Cheese Tortelloni with Chunky Vegetable Marinara Click To Tweet

GV Pasta 3

Let’s get cooking a quick (a mere 4 minutes cooking time!) spinach & cheese tortelloni in a chunky marinara sauce.  With a mere, 270 calories per serving for the pasta, you can make a balanced and nourishing meal that will not break your daily calorie bank, either.

Spinach & Cheese Tortelloni with Chunky Vegetable Marinara

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 Serves 6

Ingredients

1 package of Giovanni Rana Spinach & Cheese Tortelloni

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove fresh garlic

1-15 ounce can diced tomato

½ cup baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup black olives, pitted and diced

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

3 basil leaves, finely diced

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Cook pasta according to instructions on the package.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic and saute for a minute.  Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and oregano.  Allow to cook to a simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.

Divide cooked pasta into serving bowls and ladle sauce on the top.  Sprinkle with fresh basil and a hint of cheese, if desired.  Serve while warm.

Buon Appetito!

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