presto pesto pasta

I am fortunate. I work for a fantastic family as a personal assistant/nanny/chef. Chef being my favorite. They are always up for any culinary concoction I create. Their kitchen, which I like to think of as my office, is a dream. Open, modern,  has every single appliance or tool you could possibly need, artful bamboo cutting boards, great set of knives, the cutest serving dishes, a 3 slot sink great for quick cleaning, and a 6 year old sous chef who loves to assist me.

 When I cook for them I don't have my Nikon with me, so I generally don't post recipes I make for them, but this time I used my phone, so you will have to excuse the iphone photography.

This is a go-to meal, easy, fast, tasty, and healthy. The 4 most important qualities in weeknight cooking.  Some people tend to be deterred by home made pesto. Not sure why, nothing beats the bold flavor of made-it-myself sauce- this pesto is literally 1 min of prep. with impressive flavor.

Presto Pesto Pasta

Ingredients 

•  Pasta, I used Fettuccine
• Asparagus
• Sun dried Tomatoes
• Artichoke 1 can
• Leeks chopped
• Garlic minced
• Mushrooms (I always add shroomies in mine, but I leave them out by request of their daughter)
• Olive Oil 
• S&P 
• Pesto  (home made) -put following ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth
• 2c fresh basil
• 1/4 c pine nuts
• juice of 1 meyer lemon
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 c EVOO
• 2tbs nutritional yeast
• S&P
• a few splashes of H2O if it is really thick

 

saute garlic and leeks until tender, meanwhile cook pasta according to pkg and

 chop asparagus, sun dried tomato and quarter artichokes

 Add all veggies

And S&P

 Once the pasta is done and drained combine with pesto and veggies. Lovingly stir until every inch is coated in the flavorsome pesto.
Serves 4 and takes 20min to make.

 

Made with love, 

Emily