Pasta with Kale, Cranberries, Kalamata Olives & Feta

We don't eat much pasta in this house.  I always have a box or two in the pantry and I think it's a great last resort dinner.  But even though I do like it, it seems carb-heavy and I often still don't feel full after dinner.

But I was intrigued by this combination of flavors. It sounded a little crazy at first (cranberries, kale and kalamata olives in the same dish?) but got great reviews, so I decided to give it a try.  It ended up being a great combination of salty and a little sweet.  Also, besides kale chips and quinoa, I'm always on the lookout for kale recipes I like (I just can't handle it raw in salads or in my smoothies).  I'm so glad I found a new one! I think cooking the kale really helps to tone down the harshness.  Finally, you can never really go wrong with kalamatas and feta in my book.  We both really enjoyed it and my husband asked for the leftovers to take for lunch the next day.

It's also a huge bonus that this is truly a 30-minute meal, from the time I started chopping and boiling water to the time we set it on the table.

Definitely a keeper!

Pasta with Kale, Cranberries, Kalamata Olives & Feta
Taken from: Two Peas and Their Pod
Serves 4-6

• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter (could substitute olive oil)
• 8 cloves garlic, cloves peeled and garlic thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 pound spaghetti or other pasta (we use whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pits removed and cut into slivers
• 1/2 - 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then add garlic, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
3. Cook onion in the remaining oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add dried cranberries and cook until plumped, about 1 minute.
4. Add chopped kale leaves into onion mixture with water and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water and drain pasta.
6. Add pasta to skillet with kale-onion mixture and then toss with olives. Add reserved water, if necessary. Sprinkle feta cheese and garlic chips over the pasta dish and serve warm.