Anita Robertson shares her thrifty, tasty pasta recipe, right.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

How are you coping with today’s food costs?

Anita Robertson has chosen a path of promoting healthy, economical, meatless eating.

A grant writer who lives in Blackstone, Mass., “about three blocks over the line from Woonsocket,” she shared her story and a recipe.

“Some years ago I read that Europeans spend less of their budget on health care and more on food,” she wrote. “That got me thinking that here in the U.S., we are so focused on ‘cheap’ food that maybe there’s a connection.”

The more she read about the processing of meat, she decided to move towards vegetarianism.

“I am not there yet, but have given up all lamb, pork, and chicken, and eat very little beef,” she said.

“I have found that it is easy and economical to make (mostly organic) vegetarian soups and other meals, even when only occasionally using faux chicken patties or faux bacon, etc.

It’s not easy going vegetarian, and she wonders aloud why so few restaurants provide adequate vegetarian choices.

Robertson wrote after making a new dish that she was rather proud of.

“I made it up one night when I was looking for an alternative to cheese sauce for penne.”

It offers protein and organic pasta, of which she is a great fan. She likes Hodgson’s pastas with flax seed.

Yummy hummus is the source of the protein. (Don’t say you don’t like it based on its looks. It’s delicious.) You could also increase protein content by adding black beans or whole chickpeas in addition to the hummus, she said.

The bargain part of the recipes is to use any tomatoes you have in the house.

“This is a good way to use up tomatoes that are drying up or getting soft,” she said.

She calculated the dish cost $12 to make and would serve four hungry adults and up to six if children were at the table.

“If one added a salad, it would serve more. We ate it as the main (and only) dish, but it could also be served as an all-inclusive (with starch and vegetables) side.”

ANITA’S PASTA

1 box Hodgson’s organic whole-wheat penne with flax seed

3 broccoli crowns, cut into small pieces

2-3 large garlic cloves, minced

Handful of grape tomatoes, sliced small

1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine

1 8-ounce container garlic hummus

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Cook penne with a little salt and oil until done as you like it.

At the same time, chop broccoli and steam until just cooked but not soft or overdone.

While these two are cooking, chop parsley and slice grape tomatoes. Set both aside.

When penne and broccoli are done, mince garlic and sauté in olive oil until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

Combine half of drained penne in large bowl with half of cooked broccoli, half of parsley, tomatoes, hummus and garlic and oil. Toss together and add other half of all; toss some more. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve warm.

But also good at room temperature and slightly chilled. (One might add other seasonings, like some red pepper flakes, but this was really quite nice just as it was.)

Serves four.

gciampa@projo.com