Every summer I seem to have a favorite food discovery. One that really hits the spot in the midst of the heat, humidity, and sunshiny weather.
This year, I’m declaring that food, Gluten-Free Spinach & Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
(try saying that five times fast!)
I made it once, so far, for Bowman’s birthday party, but I can guarantee I’ll make it at least twice more before the summer concludes. It’s creamy, it’s got a bit of a bite to it, and it’s delicious warm OR cold!
Ingredients:
- 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
- 1 lb. dry brown rice pasta
- 1/4 C. grapeseed oil (olive/canola oil works, too)
- 1/4 C. parmesan cheese
- 1/4 C. raw almonds
- 1/2 C. green peas
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- pinch of paprika
- sea salt & pepper to taste (about 1 tbsp. salt & 1 tsp. pepper)
Directions:
1- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool.
2- Blend together parmesan cheese & almonds in a food processor…
…until it resembles a coffee grounds consistency.
3- Add spinach, chili powder, paprika, garlic, salt, & pepper to the food processor and pulse until grind (you may want to grab a spatula to pause and scrape down the sides as you go — I also had to add the spinach little by little since I was using my mini processor and it wouldn’t all fit!)
4- Add olive/canola/grapeseed oil (continuing to scrape the sides down so that the entire mixture is blended together)
5- Add peas & process until combined.
6- Add the pesto to a large bowl with noodles and toss to coat.
I would recommend allowing it to “marinate” overnight, so that the noodles really soak up the pesto, but it’s delicious as is, too. Add some grilled chicken and sliced cherry tomatoes to round out the dish!
Enjoy!
Savoring the Sweetest Life 