Balsamic Tofu or Chicken and Bright Veggie Pasta

This is a combination of my own pasta experiment and bits of flavors from a Racheal Ray recipe. It's easy, gives you plenty of veggies, and looks great with the colors of the olives, peppers, tomatoes, and spinach. I tend to eyeball things such as the amount of spinach, so if the size looks off adjust to your preference. FOR TOFU RECIPE: Press firm tofu for a while to drain excess water, then marinade. I cut mine into small bites and fry it in a pan with no added oil. If making this recipe for a vegetarian, please be sure to use vegetable stock and not substitute chicken! Enjoy.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 8  ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 5  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  mccormick's  steak seasoning
• 5  ounces pasta
• 14  ounces diced tomatoes with basil oregano and garlic
• 1  medium onion, sliced
• 3  minced garlic cloves
• 1  medium bell pepper, sliced
• 6  ounces sliced ripe olives
• 6  ounces fresh spinach
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable stock
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (not vegan) (optional)

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic with 1 tablespoon of the grill seasoning. You can marinate it just while you prep the other veggies or about 20min, but the longer the beter.
2. Saute onion and garlic with olive oil on medium heat until onion is soft.
3. Add the bell pepper and let it soften a bit, stirring often
4. Go ahead and put the water to boil for the pasta and heat a bit of olive oil and cook the chicken thoroughly (a lid helps keep it moist) pouring the excess marinade on top. About 5 min on each side on med-high heat. If using tofu, wait until the pasta sauce in step 5 simmers down a bit since it will cook faster than chicken.
5. While chicken cooks, add the canned tomatoes, olives, veggie stock, 1 tablespon balsamic, and the wine to the onions and peppers. Let it simmer to thin sauce while chicken and pasta cook.
6. Be sure to start the pasta when you think it will finish in time with the chicken OR just plan on putting foil over the chicken to keep it hot while the pasta cooks. "People wait on pasta, pasta doesn't wait on people" as my Italian friends tell me. :P.
7. When the pasta is nearly done, stir the spinach into the sauce mix just until it wilts in nicely.
8. Serve with chicken sliced over the pasta, add parmesean cheese if desired.