Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

I don't make that much pasta as I often associate it with empty calories and decadent meals.  Although I consider myself a huge foodie, I'm very self-conscious of what I eat and how much I eat.  Thus, pasta is frequently one of those calorie-rich, nutrient-absent meals that most Americans gorge themselves on because it's clearly "good."  And I'm not the only one who thinks this way: Russ, a podcaster from Fat 2 Fit Radio, once said (and I paraphrase): "I don't often think of making pasta dishes because...well...they're just not that good for you."

Russ's comment was actually said in defense of a healthy pasta dish and I feel that if he had tried and read about this recipe, he too would be a believer in healthy pasta.  Here's why this pasta dish is different: whole wheat pasta instead of regular white pasta, pesto instead of white sauce, and smaller servings instead of the "eat until you're can't breathe" mentality round the dish out at about 400-450 calories max.

This dish is healthy, green (and we should strive to eat all things green!), and clearly delicious.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
This recipe comes from nowhere in particular, but if you're looking for a recipe that combines pesto (any form) with pasta, see Elise Bauer's "Asparagus Pesto with Pasta" for an example.

Ingredients:
* 1 serving Whole Wheat Pasta, Spaghetti
* 2-3 tablespoons asparagus pesto, see recipe here (made with Vom Fass Basil Olive Oil)

1.) Begin by bringing a medium pot of water to a boil.  Season water with 1 tablespoon salt.  Remember, Italian cooks believe that good pasta should have flavor, and the way in which to get that flavor is to make pasta water taste like sea water.

2.) Add whole wheat pasta and cook until tender, but still firm (al dente).  Always tatse pasta before it's done--there's nothing worse than uncooked pasta.

3.) Remove from heat and strain.  I prefer not to give whole wheat pasta a cold water bath (frankly, it doesn't need it).

4.) Place on serving dish.

5.) Add 2-3 dollops of pesto.  Mix to integrate and enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

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Asparagus Pesto w/Basil Infused Olive Oil

Asparagus Pesto.  Wait.  What? You can make pesto with asparagus? HOLD ON.

Yup, "pesto" literally translates to "paste" and can be made with any number of green ingredients (basil, peas, asparagus, etc.).  Equally flexible in pesto recipes are the nut contents--pine nuts can be traded out for walnuts, pecans, or my personal favorite--pistachios.

I came across this recipe while searching for pea pesto on The New York Times website.  I had it last summer (almost exactly a year ago) at a friend's house and was blown away by its yumminess as well as the fact that it was made with PEAS.  I had no idea pesto could be made with other ingredients (like the ones outlined above), and boy was I in for a surprise.  Although I'm still searching for said recipe, this asparagus pesto packs a unique yumminess as it is both its own entity--asparagus pesto--and also a close friend to traditional basil pesto--I've substituted Vom Fass's Basil Olive Oil for regular EVOO.

Eat this recipe with pasta, on a cracker or bread, mixed into a grilled cheese sandwich, and you've got a seriously green and clearly delicious treat!

Asparagus Pesto
This recipe comes from The New York Times food & dining section (May 7, 2010) and can be found here. For an instructional video on making this dish, see Mark Bittman's short here.  I've made one major change to the recipe--instead of using regular Olive Oil, I used Vom Fass's Basil Infused Olive Oil (you can find it here on their website).  The change is fanastic: although not a basil pesto at all, this asparagus pesto packs a basil kick that reminds one of the most common and flavorful version.  Try this recipe with, or without the basil olive oil, or feel free to puree some basil during the cooking process.

Ingredients:
* 1 lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
* 2-4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced, to taste
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, or pistachios, finely chopped
* 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
* salt & pepper to taste

1.) Trim woody ends of asparagus.  For a video on how to remove asparagus woody ends without using a knife, see here.

2.) Cut asparagus into 1 inch spears.

3.) Bring 1 small-to-medium pot of water w/salt to taste to a boil.  Add asparagus and cook until tender.  As Mark Bitter notes in his video, asparagus is done when a knife, held up to their skin, punctures straight through without pressure, or resistance.

4.) Strain asparagus and allow to cool.

5.) While asparagus is cooking, you can prep your other ingredients--measure and chop nuts (whether pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, etc.), peel garlic, measure parmesan, and get olive oil ready.  Here, I use Vom Fass's Basil Infused Olive Oil (you can find it on their website here).  It gives the pesto an extra kick than regular non-basil based pesto.  Technically, this dish isn't a basil pesto, but the use of basil olive oil adds a hint of the familiar to your pureed asparagus.

6.) Add strained and cooled asparagus to a food processor.  Pulse to combine until pureed.  Some asparagus may require the addition of a 1/4 of water depending on how quickly/easily they puree.  If you find that the asparagus is still retaining its form and not pureeing, then add the water; this trick will fix your texture-retaining hang up!

7.) Add other ingredients:

8.) Pulse to combine and taste.  Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

9.) Serve with Pasta, bread, cheese, grilled cheese, sandwiches, or other clearly delicious treats.

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