Lunch this Week: Pesto Pasta

Yum- is pesto not amazing? As promised, I'm following up on my pesto halibut post with other ways to use the delicious pesto you probably prepared en masse. In this case, it's in a simple yet tantalizing pasta dish that I whipped up on Sunday night and proceeded to eat throughout the week for lunch. Not a lunch bringer? It's great for dinner as well! Just dress it up with a salad.

This recipe will take us through a fairly simple pasta dish, but feel free to spice it up on your own. Nearly any veggie can be added (red peppers, zucchini, etc) and you could cut up some chicken, saute it, and toss it in as well for some added protein to your meal. Tofu and shrimp would also work nicely.

Time: 15 minutes (with prepared pesto)
Difficulty: easy

Pesto Pasta
This recipe is assuming you already have some leftover homemade pasta, but if you do not you'll want to make it. Just hop on over to my last post including the Pesto Halibut I prepared for dinner. Then come on back and let's get started!

Ingredients:
Fresh Pesto (at least 1/4 cup)
Whole Wheat pasta (shells or bowties are best)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp butter or fake butter
2 cloves of garlic
3 tomatoes (vine preferred)
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms (Baby Bella recommended)

Follow the instructions to boil water and cook your pasta. As soon as the water is on to boil follow along with the rest of the recipe.

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of butter. Let the butter melt into the oil for a minute or two, shaking the pan lightly to allow the oil and butter to spread around.

Mince your garlic and add it to the pan. Stir to keep from burning and cook for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Stir every couple minutes and allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes or until they begin to get tender.

Add 1/4 cup of pesto and mix around. The pesto should soften and melt a bit with the heat. If you want a lighter (healthier) coating stop here but if you are like me and really love pesto add some more to taste. (Remember, pesto isn't like tomato sauce where you want your pasta smothered, just lightly coated.)

Stir and cook for about 3 minutes or until the pesto has melted a bit and stir easily. Drain your pasta and add to the pan. Stir until the pasta is mixed into the sauce and evenly distributed.