Spaghetti with Spinach Pesto and Pistachios
A Healthy Pasta Recipe –
One of the finer things in life would have to be a big bowl of fresh pesto pasta. If you’ve never tried this for lunch or dinner you are in for a real treat.
Parsley was once thought of as just a garnish to sit pretty on the side of your plate, but not any longer.
While curbside appeal does play a big part in enjoying the foods we eat, parsley is actually very rich vitamins, including Vitamin C, B 12, K and A.
Who knew that parsley could be so good for you!
This pesto is made with fresh spinach and parsley and lightly cooked to bring out the flavor of the garlic. When working with fresh parsley, gently wash and let air dry for a few minutes, chop stems and all with a sharp knife and then put into the food processor.
We are now learning that nuts are an important part of a healthy diet and this is an awesome way to get some into your meals.
We are also becoming more aware of the many health benefits of eating raw foods. Some foods are best eaten raw to save the any nutrients from becoming lost in the cooking process.
Garlic has many health benefits and it’s always a good idea to add plenty to your diet. When you chop the garlic for this pesto, let it sit for 10 minutes before cooking to maximize the nutritional benefits.
Spend some time today thinking about the foods you put into your body and what health benefits those foods have. Are you eating nutrient-dense foods? Are you getting enough nutrients to stay healthy?
Spaghetti with Spinach Pesto and Pistachios
Healthy and Delicious Meal of Spaghetti with Yummy Spinach Pesto
- 1/2 lb. angel hair pasta
- 3 tablespoons of a good olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, minced fine
- 4 cups of fresh leaf spinach, washed and trimmed of stems
- 2 cups fresh parsley (about 1/4 of a large bunch)
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/2 fresh lemon
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt & pepper
- Place spinach and parsley into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Do the same with the pistachios.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
- Pour water and about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil back into the cooking pan.
- Add the pasta back to the cooking pan and stir through the water to prevent pasta from sticking.
- Add a little salt & pepper to the pasta.
- If the pasta starts to stick a little bit, add a small amount of olive oil.
- In a medium skillet, gently cook garlic in the rest of the olive oil for a few minutes.
- Add the spinach and parsley to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute.
- Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over all.
- Salt & pepper to taste.
- Add the pistachios and cheese; mix through.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and mix through until all of the pasta is coated.
- Serve with additional cheese if needed.
