Not too light and not too heavy – just perfect for a delicious springtime meal!
Ingredients:
Pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup seeded chopped plum tomato
- 6 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat penne pasta
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2-in. pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup halved multicolored grape tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparations:
Step 1
- To prepare pesto, bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil.
- Add spinach and basil; cook 20 seconds.
- Remove spinach mixture to a bowl filled with ice water (reserve water in pan); let stand 30 seconds. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2
- Place parsley and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in food processor; process until finely chopped.
- Add spinach mixture and 2 tablespoons oil; process to combine.
- Place 3/4 cup pesto in a small bowl; place plastic wrap directly on pesto. Reserve extra to make another dish like Pesto Chicken.
Step 3
- To prepare pasta, return water in pan to a boil. Add pasta; cook according to package directions.
- Add asparagus during last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.
Step 4
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high until butter melts.
- Sprinkle shrimp with red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Add shrimp to pan; cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until done.
- Remove shrimp from pan.
Step 5
- Add pasta mixture and reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid to pan; cook 1 minute.
- Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons pesto, shrimp, grape tomatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 bowls.
