Pasta with spinach-nut pesto

” Spinach? Yuck! who wants to eat it? ” was my expression at the table everytime it was served. Even popeye failed to convince me that spinach was indeed tasty! Now I try hard to recollect when exactly did I start liking this vegetable that I include in almost anything I can. Today’s lunch was pasta with spinach nut pesto. A flavorful puree of spinach, garlic, nuts and lemon juice tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, pasta and Voila! you have a healthy delightful dish for anytime whether its lunch, dinner or a picnic.  Here’s how I cook it…..

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Rotini

4 cups water

½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

2 tbsps roasted walnuts/pecans or use a mix of both – chopped

1 clove garlic

zest of ½ lemon and squeeze the juice out of it

1 ½ cups spinach – remove the tough stems

5-6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

How To:

• In a pot bring water to boil. Add salt, and pasta. cook the pasta Al dente. (about 10-12 mts). Drain and set aside.
• Grind the nuts, garlic, spinach, black pepper powder, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil to a smooth paste.
• Heat a pan, add the cooked pasta, spinach pesto, tomatoes, and toss it on medium flame for about 3-5  mts. Adjust salt.
• Top it with more roasted and chopped nuts then serve it warm or cold.