Mediterranean Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
FitMenCook
My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is truly a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and enjoying adequate exercise. By experimenting in the kitchen and openly sharing my meals, I learned that healthy eating is hardly boring and that by making a few adjustments, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my personal fitness goals. Our bodies are built in the kitchen and sculpted in the gym.
Calories 532
Protein 47g
Fat 22g
Carbs 44g
Total Time 35 minutes
Pea Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients for 6 hearty servings
- 12oz (454g) chickpea penne pasta (or another legume or wheat pasta)
- 1 large zucchini, chopped into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow squash, chopped into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium red onion, cut into large chunks
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast (tenders)
- 2 tablespoons The Fit Cook LAND seasoning (or your choice of herb blend)
- pinch of sea salt & pepper
Pea Pesto Sauce- 1 cup arugula, tightly packed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 2/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice from 1 lemon (optional but recommended; if you omit, replace with a few tablespoons of water)
- sea salt & pepper
- water as needed to thin out sauce
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup frozen fresh peas, thawed
- 1 cup chopped basil
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
- Cook pasta according to the instructions provided, then set aside.
- Set oven to 420F. Place zucchini, squash and red onion on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Lightly spray with avocado or olive oil, then sprinkle on sea salt & pepper. If you like, you can also use The Fit Cook LAND seasoning. Roast in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the edges of the veggies have been “slightly” burned.
- Season chicken breast (tenders) with The Fit Cook LAND seasoning, then set a nonstick skillet on HIGH heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool down BEFORE cutting into 1-inch chunks.
- In a blender, add ingredients for the pesto. Pulse blend until well mixed and season to taste with sea salt & pepper (and lemon). To thin it out, add tablespoons of water until you reach desired consistency.
- Bring everything together. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked, cooled and drained pasta, along with about 1/3 of the pesto sauce (as a start). Mix and fold together well using a spatula. Then add the remaining ingredients, chicken and roasted veggies and gently fold everything together.
- Add more pesto as needed and/or reserve the rest for individual servings OR for other uses (sandwich spread, etc).
Download the fitmencook app
Track your macros, plan your weekly meals, add recipes to your grocery list, as well as get access to over 500 healthy recipes by FitMenCook.
Calories
532
Protein
47g
Fat
22g
Carbs
44g
Sodium
Fiber
9g
Sugar
8g