I love a good pasta, but often times they leave me feeling overly full and really not that great. This lighter option I found to be a great mix of delicious AND guilt free! It still packs a lot of flavor and will cure your hanger, but the lightness of the pesto and the pea’s leave you feeling happy and satisfied once you are done. It’s a great option as we head into some of these Spring time months, where it’s not quite hot enough for all the cold options but too warm for super heavy food.

The below serves about 4 and only takes about 20 minutes in total!

What you need:

8 oz whole wheat bowtie pasta (or any short pasta works best)
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup pesto - prepared
1/4 cup fresh basil - the thinner the better
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste - optional pinch of chili flakes for a kick!

What you do:

Boil a large pot of water - sprinkle some salt in - and cook pasta according to package instructions. Add peas to the pot of water and pasta when there are a couple minutes left in the cooking
Drain pasta and peas in a strainer and place back in the warm pot. Add pesto, fresh basil, parmesan, lemon zest and seasoning
Stir in until ready to serve!

Hope you enjoy!