Bite Out of Life – Spinach Pesto Pasta Sneaks Greens in Your Diet

Spinach Pesto Pasta

By Kaitlynn Garrett

We probably all know that foods that are green are good for us. We also probably think the main way to do that is through eating salads. Not that I have anything against salads, but after a while they can sometimes get a little boring. Another way people tend to add greens is by adding them to smoothies. Personally, I’m a huge fan of doing this. If you’re worried about the taste, just trust me, you really can’t taste the greens if you add other ingredients in the right proportions. But, if you need a way to sneak in more vegetables into other foods (this might be an especially great idea for kids), then I’ve got a great recipe for you!

For something so flavorful, I was surprised that it was super quick to make. It maybe took me 30 minutes to do everything (cooking my pasta took 10 minutes). The sauce recipe itself could be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a little while, you may be able to freeze it but I haven’t tried that yet, so I’m not sure how that would turn out.

If you need some protein added to the meal, it would also be great if you added some chicken on the side. I tried a few bites with some chicken thighs I had prepped for other meals (air fried with Italian seasonings, olive oil, salt, and pepper), and it was great, but the pasta is honestly amazing on its own.

Recipe

• 1 Box of Pasta
• 2 TBS Butter
• 2 Cups Spinach
• 1 Cup Cashews Raw, Unsalted
• 2 tsp. Rosemary
• 3 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 1 TBS. Honey
• 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
• ½ Cup Olive Oil (May need a little more or less depending on your preferred consistency).
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ½ Cup Nutritional Yeast (Optional for a cheesy flavor)

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the cashews and turn off the heat. Let them soak for at least 5 minutes to soften before blending.
2. Grab your food processor or blender. The pesto was a little difficult to get out of my blender, so a food processor will probably be better.
3. In your blender add the spinach, rosemary, garlic, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. I blended this thoroughly before adding the cashews to make it extra smooth.
   
5. Drain the cashews, add to the blender, and blend until smooth. You may need to add extra olive oil and stir in between blending.
6. In another pot, boil water for your pasta. Also, if I’ve learned anything from watching The Food Network, SALT YOUR PASTA WATER. Seriously. Do it. I’ve see way too many people get kicked of Guy’s Grocery Games because of it. Don’t disappoint Guy Fieri and salt your pasta water please.
7. Side Note: For this recipe, I used spaghetti because it’s what I had in the pantry, but I think something curly like rotini would be a great choice, too because it would hold the sauce well.
8. Once your pasta is cooked and drained, add the butter to the pot, and add the pasta back to the pot. This way the pasta won’t stick together much.
9. Empty your blender / food processor into the pasta and mix thoroughly. I added some nutritional yeast to mine at the last minute for more of a cheesy flavor, and I highly recommend doing so.

This was my first time making something like this, and I was surprised that I really enjoyed it! Usually pasta makes me feel heavy and bloated, but this was a great, lighter alternative. Also, I used a gluten-free pasta, so that could be a contributing factor for the lack of bloating. I hope you take a chance on this and start blending more greens into your diet!