Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach-Basil Pesto

A simple and healthy pasta side to accompany any of your grilled dishes. Serve with salmon,  chicken, or grilled asparagus & mushrooms,  and you're set for your next party!

Spinach-Basil Pesto (Serves 4)

• 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil
• 1 cup tightly packed fresh baby spinach
• 1 garlic, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 Tablespoon cashews, walnuts, or almonds

• 12 ounces whole wheat Bowtie (Farfalle) pasta
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Prepare the pesto in advance if you have the chance. In a blender or with an immersion blender combine first 7 ingredients. Blend until you get a smooth sauce, store in refrigerator for later use.

This is the immersion blender I recommend...

Packing in the spinach and herbs

Grating the cheese

Pureeing the pesto

Keeping in container for storage

2. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. Undercook the pasta a minute or two so you can cook with sauce. Drain pasta water and reserve 1/4 cup of the water. 

3. After draining the pasta, immediately add into a medium saucepan with the pesto sauce and cook 2-3 minutes, adding reserved pasta water when sauce dries out a bit.

Cook pasta with pesto and a little reserved pasta water to warm up sauce and keep smooth

4. Add halved cherry tomatoes and additional cheese at the last minute of cooking if desired. Serve immediately with salmon and  Simply Grilled Asparagus if you like.