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This is one of my favorite recipes right now. It is so good freshly served up, but equally good leftover as a cold grab-and-go pasta. You can easily make this vegan by subsituting the cheese for a dairy free option (see below). Yes, it is gluten-free if you use the Banza chickpea pasta. But wait–it gets even better…it has a decent serving of protein and veggies, also. You can even add some grilled chicken or some shrimp for added protein.
Shall we get to it?
Ingredients:
1 box of Banza pasta (8oz)
1 bell pepper
3 heaping cups de-stemmed kale
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
2 tbsp sliced almonds
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (or 1/4 cup cashew cheese to make vegan)
1/4 tsp red chili flakes (feel free to omit if you don’t like spice)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2: Meanwhile, chop bell pepper. Add a tbsp of olive oil to medium frying pan. Sauté until just tender.
3: Cook pasta to desired tenderness. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain the remaining water.
4: Add de-stemmed kale, peeled garlic, Italian seasoning, almonds, cheese, and red chili flakes, 2 TBSP olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
5: Add reserved pasta water, kale pesto, and pasta in pot. Stir together.
6: Add cooked bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
7: EAT IT! So good. Save leftovers in the fridge for quick lunch tomorrow.