The Dangers of Arsenic in Rice + Sweet Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale

Brown Rice and Arsenic:
Before I begin this wonderful recipe, I have to rant about rice. If you haven't heard, A recent study has shown that the rice produced in the United States has high levels of arsenic, a carcinogen. Great. And to make matters worse, brown rice has higher levels than white, since the grain is less refined.

It infuriates me to think that even when you eat the right foods, you could still be ingesting harmful carcinogens because of the way our food is grown. Our country needs to work on food policies ASAP.

Anyway, from here on out I'm going to limit my intake of brown rice and brown rice products (yes, that means brown rice pasta, which was shown to have pretty high levels of arsenic compared to some other rice products). I'm going to try to include more varied grains into my diet, like quinoa and barley. If you do continue to eat brown rice, rinse it thoroughly!

If you are ever wondering what to make with sweet potatoes, try putting it with pasta or in a salad. There are a ton of recipes out there with kale and pasta, so why not make it healthier by adding in some vitamin-rich sweet potatoes.I used brown rice pasta in the recipe below, but I think it would be wise to use whole wheat pasta instead.

This recipe requires some multitasking, just a warning!

Sweet Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Fusilli
One Sweet Potato
A handful of kale

Chopped garlic

Chopped onions

Chopped tomatoes

Parmesan cheese, grated

Milk (optional, I didn't use it)

 Step 1: Boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft. This should take about 20 minutes.

Step 2: While potatoes are boiling, put kale in the oven to bake. I baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, and I put a little bit of oil on the baking pan first.

Step 3: Start boiling your water for the pasta, and add when ready.

Step 4: Start chopping your ingredients, then saute. Grate the cheese as well.Your potatoes should be ready to be drained at this point. You can mash them in a separate bowl with a fork, or just add them straight to your pan with the other sauteed ingredients and mash it with a spatula.

Step 5: At this point your kale should be done. Take it out, then mix your drained pasta with the sweet potato sauce. If you want the sauce a little creamier, add a splash of milk and heat for a minute or two.

Step 6: Sprinkle the kale on top of the pasta along with the cheese, and eat up!