Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Lighter Pesto Recipes

WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH LIGHTER PESTO

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook whole-wheat spaghetti until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot.
• Toss pasta with lighter pesto, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a thin sauce that coats spaghetti (you may not need all the water). Season with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with shredded basil, if desired.

LIGHTER PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine basil, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Puree until a paste forms.
• With motor running, add oil in a thin stream. Process until very smooth, about 1 minute.

WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH HERB-ALMOND PESTO AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid; drain pasta.
• Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest along with the lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 2 tablespoons oil and the reserved cooking water; process until pesto is smooth. The pesto will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer; store in an airtight container, covered with a thin layer of olive oil. To serve, bring the pesto to room temperature (never heat it), pour off extra oil from top, and stir in a little water, if necessary, to achieve the proper consistency.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When hot, add broccoli and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until broccoli is lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add pasta and pesto; toss to coat.
• Divide pasta among six bowls. Dollop with ricotta, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon zest, dividing evenly. Squeeze lemon wedges over tops, and serve immediately.
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 345
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7g
• Cholesterol: 3mg
• Carbohydrates: 56g
• Protein: 16g
• Sodium: 448mg
• Fiber: 14g

WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH LIGHTER PESTO

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
• Toss pasta with pesto, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a thin sauce that coats spaghetti (you may not need all the water). Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with basil, if desired.
• Nutrition Information
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 351
• Fat: 16g (2.6g Saturated Fat)
• Protein: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 44.9g
• Fiber: 8.2g

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA WITH PESTO AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Trim the green beans and cut them in half lengthwise. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook 7 minutes or until almost cooked. Add pasta and cook until tender. Drain and transfer to a heated serving bowl. Dot with margarine and pour over the pesto sauce. Toss lightly and serve.
• Variation: Reduce the ammount of green beans by about 1/3 and add a couple of peeled and sliced potatoes.