My favorite pesto pasta dish!

We make this at least weekly in my house, my husband (the meat eater) eats this like it's going out of style!  This is a super quick and easy meal that makes great leftovers.  Another plus, the pasta tastes excellent cold the next day!

5 Ingredient Pesto Recipe:

Prep and Cook Time for Pesto:  Maybe 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 big handfuls of fresh basil leaves

1 cup of sunflower seeds (unsalted)

3 tbs of olive oil

3-6 garlic gloves (depending how garlicy you want it)

1 lemon

Method:

Put all into a blender/food processor except the lemon.  Put the juice of the lemon in the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

Add a little salt and pepper to taste

Blend away!

Add more olive oil if it's too dry, but it should be pasty

Pesto is done!

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Pesto Pasta Recipe:

Prep and Cook Time:  Not long!

Ingredients:

4 cups of uncooked spiral pasta

1 and 1/2 cans of green olives (chopped into halves)

1 little container of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup of frozen peas

All of your pesto that you just made (about 1 cup)

Method:

Cook pasta according to the bag's instructions

While the pasta is cooking drain your olives and halve them

Wash and halve your tomatoes

Drain cooked pasta

I like to take the pot that I used for the pasta and throw some hot water in there and throw the cup of peas in it to thaw them real quick

Combine pasta and pesto in a big bowl

When combined thoroughly, toss in the olives and drained peas

Then add in the tomatoes

Add salt and pepper to taste, more olive oil if desired

Link to original Pesto recipe:  http://www.thefreshexchangeblog.com/2012/06/just-5-pesto/

Link to original Pesto Pasta recipe:  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pesto_pasta_salad/

Guacamole Bruschetta

I found this recipe on Pinterest and have made it several times.  I absolutely love this as a quick dinner or a nice lunch. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 6 min

Ingredients:

½ loaf French bread
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, medium chopped
2 avocados, medium chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Slice the French bread on the diagonal into ½" rounds and place on a baking sheet.

Toast the sliced bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then flip each piece over and toast an additional 3 minutes.  (when in a hurry, or when I bring this for lunch at work I just pop the bread in a toaster)

Remove the toasted bread from the oven and immediately rub with the clove of garlic (it works best to first cut a small tip off the garlic clove so that the oils will seep out). 

Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed toasts with olive oil and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix together gently making sure the avocado is well coated in the lime juice.

Spoon a portion of the mixture onto each of the garlic toasts and serve.

I LOVE the idea of just rubbing a garlic glove on bread, it makes a fantastic and healthy (no butter, etc.) garlic bread.  I've been doing this with my bread when I have pasta dishes and it tastes amazing!


The original recipe is here:  http://www.justataste.com/2009/02/guacamole-bruschetta/