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Penne Pasta

Creamy Goat Cheese Penne with Medjool Dates, Spinach & Lemon (20-Minute Dinner)

This 20-minute penne pasta is bringing the date-night energy—with tangy goat cheese, wilted spinach, and sweet, caramel-y Natural Delights® Medjool dates. A splash of pasta water makes it silky, and a hit of lemon + parm ties it all together. Easy, elegant, and seriously delicious.

Recipe by Beverly Weidner

Ingredients

  • 8 whole Natural Delights Medjool dates, pits removed and roughly chopped
  • 4 oz goat cheese
  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • Cup of Pasta water
  • Lemon juice and parmesan for garnish

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions, until just shy of al dente.
  2. Pour a cup of hot pasta water into a wide skillet over medium high heat.
  3. Add the goat cheese and whisk until dissolved. Add the dates and stir to combine.
  4. Let this simmer for two minutes, then add the al dente pasta and spinach, letting the spinach wilt.
  5. Add a pinch of salt and stir all together. Add more pasta water if you need more of a sauce.
  6. Off the heat add parmesan cheese and lemon juice, to wake it all up. Serves 2-3 generous portions.

*While Medjool dates are high in natural sugars, they are low on the glycemic index thanks to a balanced amount of soluble fiber. The complex carbohydrates found in Medjool dates are digested at a slower rate, making them a source of dietary fiber and releasing energy to the body over a longer period of time.