Ciao amici miei! Today I take you on a journey to Italy with my 100% plant-powered, gluten-free take on an Italian classic - Pasta Pesto.

One of my good friends here in Cambodia is Italian and has a restaurant. Unfortunately, there aren’t many dishes on his menu I can eat, so I usually go there for a glass of Italian wine and a chat. In my humble opinion, Italy does produce the best wines… think Brunello, Barolo, Chianti… though I don’t drink alcohol very often, I can appreciate a good glass of red wine once in a while. Too bad I can’t enjoy it with his food.

Nearly all his dishes contain cheese, eggs, or other animal products. But that doesn’t mean his cooking can’t be an inspiration to my dishes.

I love Italian cuisine for its simplicity and honor to the taste of real, fresh ingredients without the use of many seasonings. PLUS, pasta dishes make easy, fast weeknight dinners on a budget.

This post is my entry for the ecoTrain Cooking on A Budget Competition

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LENTIL PASTA PESTO WITH PAN-ROASTED VEGGIES (V-GF)

This vegan and gluten-free pasta pesto with pan-roasted vegetables is rich, packed with flavor and health-promoting nutrients, and ready in 30 minutes or less.

Though you can make this dish with any pasta you like, we opted for gluten-free pasta made from lentils. Though we still eat gluten-containing foods on occasion, we try to avoid them as much as possible in our diet.

For years we have been controlling my hubby’s autoimmune disease through a healthy lifestyle. It has been over 7 years now he hasn’t taken any meds and he feels great. But that’s a story for another time. Let me just tell you that his health really changed for the better ever since we eliminated dairy from his diet and kept gluten-containing products to an absolute minimum.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 3)

250g red lentil pasta

FYI: this certified GF and non-GMO Barilla red lentil pasta is made with red lentil flour. It is a good source of plant-based protein and fiber. PLUS, it tastes great. The pasta has a deliciously distinctive red lentil flavor and smooth al dente texture.

For the pesto sauce

3 packed cups of fresh basil leaves
⅓ cup toasted walnuts
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 T lime or lemon juice
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Himalayan pink salt to taste
½ avocado
Pasta cooking liquid

For the pan-roasted veggies

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
¾ cup red onion, chopped
2.5-3 cups zucchini, chopped
Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Combine all pesto ingredients, except the avocado and cooking liquid, in a blender or food processor and process until a smooth texture. When smooth add the avocado and blend again.

Saute the onion until soft and fragrant. Then add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes.

Stir well and cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instruction on the package. When al dente, drain and add back to the cooking pot. Keep some of the cooking liquid.

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Add the pesto to the lentil pasta. Add a little cooking water as needed if you think the pasta-pesto mix is too dry. You could add the veggies straight away to the pot and mix or add the pesto-coated pasta in a bowl and top with the pan-roasted veggies and some extra nutritional yeast.

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