I could eat this pasta every day of the week.  It’s so simple but such a delicious combination of flavors with the sweetness of the squash, the crisp kale, the hint of thyme and white wine, and the salty, cheesy Parmesan.

I try to make one meatless meal a week – eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in processed and red meats is proven to help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.  The meat industry generates vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, so it’s also good for the environment to try to cut out some of the meat from your weekly diet.  But I always worry whether my husband Chris (a major meat-and-potatoes lover) will like any of my new vegetarian meal creations.  This is one he loves.  And the protein from the cheese and whole wheat pasta – along with the fiber from all of the vegetables – make it very satisfying and filling too.

Here are all of the key ingredients.

While you start a pot of boiling water for the pasta, begin mincing some garlic and slicing some shallots.

This recipe calls for a few cloves of garlic, which tastes incredible with the white wine, parmesan, and winter vegetables.

Holding the flat side of your knife against the garlic with one hand, make a fist with the other and smash down onto the knife and garlic, breaking the garlic skin apart.