Tomato and Walnut Pesto Rotini

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 3  cups  loosely packed basil leaves
• 1/3  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 5  ounces  uncooked rotini (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
• 5  ounces  uncooked multigrain rotini (corkscrew-shaped pasta)
• 1  cup  cherry tomatoes, quartered

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Gradually add oil through food chute with food processor on; process until smooth.

2. Cook pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Combine pastas, pesto mixture, tomatoes, reserved cooking liquid, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl; toss well.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

341

Fat:

13.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 5.8g,poly 4g)

Protein:

13.8g

Carbohydrate:

44.3g

Fiber:

4.7g

Cholesterol:

9mg

Iron:

2.9mg

Sodium:

482mg

Calcium:

163mg