I was introduced to Ancient Harvest‘s POW! Pasta at Expo West, the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event. These are the only bean and lentil-based pastas made with quinoa. Each serving has twice the protein (21-25 grams) and three times the fiber (7 grams) of traditional wheat pasta. The line includes five pasta shapes (lentil, rotini, spaghetti, elbows, and linguini) , three mac and cheese varieties (mild, white, and cheddar), and two pasta meals (Italiano and Cubanitos).
The Ancient Harvest team was nice enough to send me the Green Lentil Penne for recipe creation! Before I added all of the fixings, I tasted a few penne. I could have put butter, seasoned with pepper and garlic salt, and sprinkled some Parmesan cheese on the top and been set, but I decided to make the full recipe!
Since the pasta has packed with protein, I went with a veggie packed arugula pesto topped with artichokes and tomatoes for a touch of color. I’ll be definitely making this recipe again and I can’t wait to try recipes with the other variations of POW! Pasta!
1 Box Ancient Harvest Green Lentil Penne POW! Pasta
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, halved
1 Cup Artichokes
4 Cups Arugula
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan plus a few tablespoons for garnish
1/4 Cup Walnuts
1/2 – 3/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove
Salt and Pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil
Salt the water and add pasta
Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium
While pasta is cooking, add arugula, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt & pepper to food processor (or blender) and begin pulsing
Stream in the rest of the olive oil and pulse until consistency of liking
Coat the bottom of a sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil
Once hot, add artichokes, artichokes, salt, and pepper, and stir to combined
Sauté until hot and a bit charred
Once pasta is cooked, drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water
In a bowl, add pasta, reserved pasta water, and pesto
Stir until well combined
Spoon pasta into two bowls, add tomatoes and artichokes, and garnish with Parmesan Cheese

- 1 Box Ancient Harvest Green Lentil Penne POW! Pasta
- 1/2 Cup Tomatoes, halved
- 1 Cup Artichokes
- 4 Cups Arugula
- 1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan plus a few tablespoons for garnish
- 1/4 Cup Walnuts
- 1/2 - 3/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil
- Salt the water and add pasta
- Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium
- While pasta is cooking, add arugula, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt & pepper to food processor (or blender) and begin pulsing Stream in the rest of the olive oil and pulse until consistency of liking
- Coat the bottom of a sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil
- Once hot, add artichokes, artichokes, salt, and pepper, and stir to combined
- Sauté until hot and a bit charred
- Once pasta is cooked, drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water
- In a bowl, add pasta, reserved pasta water, and pesto
- Stir until well combined
- Spoon pasta into two bowls, add tomatoes and artichokes, and garnish with Parmesan Cheese