Pasta is the epitome of quick and simple comfort food. Give your regular kid-friendly butter noodles an upgrade with this allergen-friendly, nutrient-packed pesto pasta. With kale, pumpkin seeds aka pepitas, chickpea rotini, and peas, this easy weeknight meal will pack a healthy punch.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Cups Raw Kale
- 1 1/2 Cups Pepitas aka Pumpkin Seeds
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil or 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- Chickpea (GF) Rontini Pasta
- Water
- Salt
- Green Peas
INSTRUCTIONS
Optional: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and toast pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Flip seeds halfway through toasting. Let cool.
In a food processor, add Kale, Garlic, and Pepitas and process until evenly chopped. Kale should be the texture of small confetti. Add in Olive Oil, Basil, Salt, Nutritional Yeast, and Fennel. Blend until evenly mixed and can be easily scooped. Set aside.
Bring water to a boil and salt well. Add in pasta and cook to package instructions. You can use whatever pasta shape you like best, however, I prefer a Rotini as the pesto gets into all the crevices of the pasta. Drain pasta and save back at least 1/4 cup of pasta water.
Put back into your cooking vessel, the pasta, and pesto. One serving of pasta to two tablespoons of pesto. Begin to mix all components together while drizzling in the pasta water. The pasta water will thin out the pesto to evenly coat the rotini. Gently toss in your cooked Green Peas.
Serve warm and have a pasta feed for the whole family.
