Penne Pasta with {modern} Spinach Pesto & Portabella

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound whole wheat or whole grain penne pasta
• 2 ounce baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• cooking spray

*Pesto:

• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 4 roasted garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup pine nuts/pignolias
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil – divided*
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Throw in penne pasta to cook until al-dente (tender but still firm to bite) between 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Drain pasta using a colander once done.
3. While pasta is cooking, prepare pesto. Add all pesto ingredients (reserving half of olive oil) in a food processor and pulse till smooth. To store the remaining pesto, top it with olive oil.*
4. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Spray some cooking oil and saute mushrooms till fragrant and tender.
5. Throw in 3 tbsp of prepared pesto. Remove from heat, sprinkle dried basil and add cooked pasta. Stir to combine.
6. Serve immediately.

* pesto recipe would yield more than 1 serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Edit to add: Dried basil – forgot about it 😀