Green Green Green!

Four months ago, in need of a drastic change of pace, I

packed up my life and moved 3,200 miles away to Southern California. Since arriving I have been inundated with green! Live green, eat green, green plants, green trees . . . green everything!

While I will expand later on the benefits of eating sustainable local produce, an effort to eat more veggies is high on my better life to do list. So this Creamy PestoPasta salad can include and disguise as many of your favorites as you can handle . . . AND it’s dairy and Gluten free!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

½ Package Silken Tofu

As much fresh Basil as you like (to taste)

1 Tbl Fresh Thyme

8 oz of Quinoa pasta, cooked as directed on the package

1 bunch Fresh raw spinach

¼ cup dry toasted pine nuts

2 cloves of raw garlic

Salt to taste

Frozen Peas, thawed

1 Carrot Chopped

1 shallot finely minced

Note: You can add whatever veggies you like, these just happen to be what I had on hand this afternoon

Directions:

Put the Silken Tofu, Basil, Thyme, Pine Nuts, Raw Spinach and Garlic into a food processor and blend until bright green and smooth. You can add whatever herbs you prefer to this mixture, and any other veggies.

Cook Pasta per the Directions on the back of the package, make sure to salt the water liberally.

Clean and Chop Carrot and Shallot as well as any other veggies you are adding. Thaw peas . . . I use frozen because they are easy to have on hand!

Add the cooked pasta, chopped veggies and creamy pesto sauce to a large bowl and toss until all the ingredients are coated well.

Tastes great alone or over a salad . . . and the picture in no way does it justice.