Make Weeknight Pasta Healthy and Tasty With This One Sauce (No Cheese Added)

The monsoons are here but the summer heat hasn’t abated as much as we would like it to. I still want to eat food which doesn’t go sit in my stomach and make me uncomfortable through the warm nights. We thought it would be interesting to add a twist to the regular weeknight pasta that we normally eat. You can have it as a salad or as a meal – it’s satisfying both ways.

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This pesto pasta recipe is bursting with fresh flavours. Tossed with zucchini, bell peppers, baby corn and whatever vegetables you fancy, it’s a healthy addition to your weeknight meal. Did you know by adding red bell peppers to any of your dishes you’re upping your Vitamin C and beta-carotene intake and it also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties? The basil and pine nuts/walnuts sauce is the perfect foil and brings this dish together beautifully. This is going to definitely make it to your picnics and potlucks menu and have everyone asking for more! Easy to make and easy to carry.

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Ingredients – Makes 6-8 servings

• 200 gms Whole Wheat Pasta cooked al dente and cooled
• 6 Baby Tomatoes halved
• 6 Olives 6 cut into rounds
• 5 Baby Corn boiled and sliced
• 1 Bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Zucchini sliced
• 1 Cucumber sliced
• 1 Iceberg Lettuce shredded into bite size pieces
• 2 Tbsp Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Pesto Sauce
• Black Pepper
• Salt to taste

You can add whatever other vegetables you like munching on too.

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Pesto Sauce:

• 15-20 Basil Leaves
• Handful of Pine Nuts/ Walnuts
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 inch piece Ginger
• 2 Green Chillies
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 14 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Put all the pesto sauce ingredients into a mixer jar and grind it into a paste.
• In a large bowl put all the veggies. Add the fresh pesto sauce and Thai sweet chilli sauce and give it a good mix.
• Put pesto coated veggies in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Add boiled pasta to the veggies and combine it all.  Make sure the veggies and pasta are coated well with the sauces.
• Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

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