GREEN PESTO PASTA

This Green Pesto Pasta is super easy to make and is full of vitamins and goodness.   It contains several beneficial minerals and vitamins like beta carotene, iron and vitamins K and A. Protein is provided by the pine nuts and sunflower seeds, good fats from the olive oil and the green veggies speak for themselves.

This dish is served hot but it is great cold too.  You can use the pesto leftovers to make my PESTO, COURGETTE AND PEA SOUP or PESTO PASTA WITH BROAD BEANS AND VINE TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:

• 35g pine nuts
• 100g basil
• 75ml olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper
• half a lemon half
• head of broccoli
• 100g spring greens
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• handful of sunflower seeds
• 200g pasta (I used Fusillata Casareccia)

METHOD:

1. Cook the pasta in salted water
2. Meanwhile toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden
3. Add them to a blender along with the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and lemon and blitz until smooth then set aside
4. Chop the broccoli and fry in a little oil for 3 minutes
5. Add the spring greens for a further minute until wilted
6. When the pasta is done rinse in cold water and add back to the pan
7. Add the broccoli and greens, sunflower seeds and half of the pesto
8. Add a little cold water to loosen slightly
9. Warm through and chop the cherry tomatoes in half
10. Add to the pan to warm through and serve