Broccoli Basil Pesto Pasta

Found some broccoli in the refrigerator and thought I would mix it up from the usual tomato sauce pasta. This recipe features a homemade dried basil (fresh was unavailable) pesto pasta sauce 🌿, whole wheat spaghetti 🍝, and a healthy dose of vegetables 🥦

Ingredients for Basil Pesto:

• 1/4 cup raw unsalted walnuts (or cashews for something creamier)

• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

• 4 tbsp dried basil

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1/8 tsp himalayan pink salt

• 7 tbsp of olive oil

Ingredients for Pasta:

• 2 cups of broccoli, chopped

• 16 oz of whole wheat linguine pasta (or other preferred)

• italian seasoning

• black pepper

• salt

• olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as instructed on box to al dente (7-8 minutes). Drain pasta and save some of the pasta water for later.

2. For the basil pesto sauce, add all the ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

3. In a pot, heat some olive oil and cook the broccoli until almost tender, about two minutes on medium. Next, add the pasta, spices, and basil pesto sauce to the pot and mix the ingredients together for about 3-4 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and serve.