Farfalle with Mint Walnut Pesto

Making your own pesto is just about as easy as it gets – ours uses a fragrant mix of fresh mint and basil, while walnuts offer an omega-3-rich alternative to pine nuts!

Photo: Ryan Szulc

By Julie O'Hara

Serves: 4
Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Total Time:  25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 packed cup fresh basil (with stems)
• 1/2 packed cup fresh mint (with stems)
• 1/4 cup toasted unsalted walnuts
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 8 oz whole-wheat farfalle
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 9 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
• Sea salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare pesto: To a food processor, add basil, mint, walnuts, Parmesan and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped, five to seven times, scraping down bowl as needed. Add oil and lemon juice and process for 10 to 15 seconds or until a thick, slightly chunky pesto forms. (NOTE: Try to not process to a smooth paste, keep it slightly chunky.)
2. To boiling water, add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Before draining pasta, ladle about 1/2 cup cooking water into a heat-proof measuring cup and set aside. Return drained pasta to pot and add tomatoes, artichokes and pesto. Place on low heat and stir to combine. If more moisture is desired, add reserved pasta cooking water 1 tbsp at a time to achieve desired texture. Heat until vegetables are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and additional pepper.

Nutrients per serving (1 3/4 cups pesto pasta): Calories: 345, Total Fat: 13 g, Sat. Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Carbs: 52 g, Fiber: 12 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 13 g, Sodium: 137 mg, Cholesterol: 3 mg