Creamy Pesto

Pasta with Creamy Pesto: 

1 lb. Radiatore or rotini pasta

1 c. Broth

¾ c. Fresh basil

¼ c. Grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black pepper

3 Cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese (softened)

Basil from my garden

Tomato Vinaigrette Topping:

2 c. Fresh tomatoes, diced

¼ c. Red onion, minced

1 ½ Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

½ Tbsp. Olive oil

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to package instructions.

2. If you are making broth out of bouillon, now’s the time. Put the appropriate size cube of vegetable bouillon (look on the package) in 1 cup water and put it in the microwave for a minute, then stir. If it’s not dissolved yet, zap it a little longer.

3. Combine the broth, basil, Parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic, and softened cream cheese in a blender and blend till smooth. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to combine.

4. Make the topping: Chop the tomatoes and onion and put in a medium-size bowl. Add vinegar and olive oil.

How to serve:

Scoop 1 cup pasta onto a plate and top with 3 ½ Tbsp. tomato topping.

(Or 2 cups pasta and 7 Tbsp. tomato topping.)

*Nutrition facts:

Pasta + Sauce:

Item	Calories	Sodium (% RDA)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium (% RDA)
16 oz. radiatore pasta	1680	0	16	56	0
½ Knorr veg. bouillon cube	15	35	0	0	0
¾ c. basil	3	0	0	0	3
¼ c. grated Parmesan	120	24	0	12	36
8 oz. Neufchatel cheese	560	40	0	16	16
½ tsp. salt	0	50	0	0	0
3 cloves garlic	12	0	0	0.5	3
Total (6 cups):	2390 kcal	149%	16g	84.5g	58%
1 cup:	398 kcal	25%	2.5g	14g	9.5%

   

Tomato Topping:

Item	Calories	Sodium (% RDA)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium (% RDA)
2 c. tomatoes	64	1	4	4	4
¼ c. red onion	15	0	1	1	1
1 ½ Tbsp. vinegar	15	0	0	0	0
½ Tbsp. olive oil	60	0	0	0	0
Total (20 Tbsp.):	154 kcal	1%	5g	5g	5%
3 ½ Tbsp:	27 kcal	0%	0.75g	0.75g	0.75%

*Calculated from food packaging and the following websites: http://nutritiondata.self.com, http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories, and http://caloriecount.about.com/.

I used “Great Value” brand (Walmart) pasta and Neufchatel cheese.

I used “Knorr” brand vegetable bouillon, “Morton” brand salt, “ACME” brand vinegar, and “Members Mark” brand olive oil (Sams Club).

Nothing is more delicious in the summer than fresh tomatoes and basil! I received this recipe from a fellow ecology student, Jay C., many years ago, and it instantly became a favorite. It’s quick to make because only one ingredient (pasta) must be cooked, and yet it’s fancy enough for a dinner party! J