{"id":8764,"date":"2019-06-17T11:25:27","date_gmt":"2019-06-16T23:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/?p=8764"},"modified":"2019-11-29T17:14:16","modified_gmt":"2019-11-29T04:14:16","slug":"protein-packed-broccoli-pesto-pasta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascensionkitchen.com\/protein-packed-broccoli-pesto-pasta\/","title":{"rendered":"Protein-rich Broccoli Pasta with Fresh Pesto"},"content":{"rendered":"

A nutritious, Broccoli Pasta with fresh pesto, made with protein-rich legume penne. The dairy free pesto is a real treat - made with fresh basil, nutritional yeast, hemp oil and cashews. On the table in 30 minutes.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Originally posted July 2017, updated June 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n

Herby, lemony Broccoli pasta with a homemade basil pesto and toasted seeds - speedy mid-week meals don't get any better!<\/p>\n

Quick has been the name of the game Chez Glucina this week. I feel a little like the master juggler, lots of balls up in the air – time with clients, self-study, recipe development, giving LIVELY™ Desserts some loving, prepping for my demo’s this weekend at the Food Show (will I see you there?!), and a little a side of housework. <\/strong><\/p>\n

I can’t complain because firstly, I LOVE what I do, but secondly, my poor man is doing it tough in terms of long hours at the moment.<\/p>\n

He has single handedly set up (and runs) our LIVELY™ Desserts production facility, so is up at the first peep of dawn and home after I’ve already got a good episode or so of Ozark under my belt.<\/p>\n

\"Overhead<\/p>\n

When he gets home, he is ravenous. His eyes gloss straight past me and scan the kitchen bench, looking for his plate of food.<\/p>\n

Last week, he thought he was getting soup from me one evening, because he seemed a little sniffly. I changed my mind and made this Broccoli Pasta. When he came in the door, his eyes literally lit up.<\/p>\n

He ate two meal's worth straight out of the big serving bowl. Inhaled. Feeding frenzy. Gone in sixty seconds. Licked clean. I tell you, it’s quite a spectacle to watch from the safety of the couch.<\/p>\n

Anyway, let’s talk about the nutritional benefits of our lovely green bowl of speedy comfort food shall we?<\/p>\n

\"Bowl<\/p>\n

Homemade Basil Pesto<\/h2>\n

Transform your broccoli pasta with this epic pesto sauce! This homemade pesto is a fabulous basic to have on hand, and I will post it as an individual recipe for easy searching at some point in time.<\/p>\n

Classic basil is my all time favourite, though you can go crazy with whatever herbs or greens you desire.<\/p>\n

Nutritional yeast<\/strong> is the dairy free answer to parmesan, and a blend of cashews with pine nuts give it a nice amount of creaminess.<\/p>\n

To mix it up, I chose hemp<\/strong> over olive oil, which I love because it has the perfect balance of your three essential fatty acids (3, 6 and 9).<\/p>\n

Protein-rich Gluten Free Pasta<\/h2>\n

My newest culinary addiction is without a doubt the ever expanding range of legume pastas that have hit the shelf.<\/p>\n

Enter legume penne! Seriously, you would easily mistake this for a regular wheat based pasta, it truly is that good, perhaps just a little bit chewier if you're eating it cold.<\/p>\n

I've used several brands with similar ingredients - look for one made with any or all of the following: red lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans. The more lentils and beans, and the less gluten free grains, the better.<\/p>\n

I love legume pasta because not only is it naturally gluten free, it also packs a pretty impressive protein punch<\/span><\/a> (depending on the brand, approximately 12g per serve). They also provide a good amount of dietary fibre.<\/p>\n

\"All<\/p>\n

Packed with vegetables<\/h2>\n

Onions, leek, a whole head of broccoli and ample fresh basil are folded throughout, providing extra nutritional benefits.<\/p>\n

Leeks are a great source of prebiotic fibre<\/a>,<\/span> providing you avoid over-cooking and caramelising them.<\/p>\n

Prebiotic fibre provides a food source for the good bacteria (i.e., probiotics) that live in the colon.<\/p>\n

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, is rich in cancer protective compounds, it is a source of folate<\/a>, vitamin K<\/span><\/a> (required for healthy bones), vitamin C<\/a><\/span> and fibre.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How to Make Broccoli Pasta<\/h2>\n

There are a few elements that need to come together here, though they're simple enough - and you will be done in under 30 minutes - yay!<\/p>\n

The first thing I like to do is dry-toast a large handful of seeds - sunflower and sesame work beautifully in this recipe. Because I use toasted seeds to jazz up our salads on the regular, I actually have a large jar on hand in the pantry.<\/p>\n

Regardless - if you're making from scratch - it just takes a minute to do this, then set them aside and clean the pan out.<\/p>\n

The next cab off the rank is our basil pesto - an incredibly simple recipe - you simply combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.<\/p>\n

There are some fabulous new vegan pestos on the market now, so if you're short on time - just buy a container.<\/p>\n

Now we want to get the broccoli underway - wash and dry a large head, then cut into very small florets. Arrange them over a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 180˚C (356˚F) for ten mins or so until slightly crispy (you could cook these in a pan - but I LOVE my broccoli this way - fresh and crisp - not soggy!).<\/p>\n

\"Images<\/p>\n

While the pasta is cooking as per the package instructions, finely slice an onion and the white portion of one leek. Cook in a saucepan with a glug of olive oil until soft and wilted down.<\/p>\n

This while process (cooking the broccoli, the leeks, the pasta simultaneously) will only take about ten minutes - super fast.<\/p>\n

When the pasta is soft - drain and add it back to the pot, then add all other ingredients and toss well to combine.<\/p>\n

\"Broccoli<\/p>\n

Doesn't that look delicious!<\/p>\n

Serve with a few lemon wedges and fresh basil leaves to decorate.<\/p>\n

If you're feeling fancy - you may like a sprinkle of this divine Brazil Nut Parmesan<\/span><\/a> - this is another recipe I keep made up in a glass jar - it's a total kitchen staple around here - yum yum!<\/p>\n

That's it guys - enjoy!<\/p>\n

\"Serving<\/p>\n

More Healthy Dinner Ideas<\/h2>\n