This recipe is a favorite from Dr. Neal Barnard's "Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes". I've made this a couple times, and received rave reviews. This is quick and easy to prepare. (Sauce ingredients can be doubled!)

  • 1 pound dry pasta (choose your favorite: penne, longer noodles, rotini)
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsps chickpea miso (or other flavored mild miso)
  • 2 T tahini
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1-2 medium garlic cloves
  • 2 tsps pure maple syrup
  • few pinches freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-4 T water
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 5 oz fresh baby spinach

Cook pasta according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, salt, miso, tahini, applesauce, garlic, syrup, pepper and 2 T water if needed. Once pasta is cooked, drain but DON'T rinse pasta. 

Return the pasta to the pot and place it over low heat. Add the sauce, lemon zest, and spinach, and gently heat through. When spinach has wilted, serve and enjoy!

Note: You can use more spinach if you like. You can also use chopped Swiss Chard or Kale, or steamed broccoli with cauliflower. Your choice.

For a heartier pasta, add 1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans when you add the spinach.

This is sooooo tasty!!