Tricolor Rotini with Pesto Bianco

Nothing is quite as satisfying to me as tender pasta coated in creamy pesto sauce, so of course I loved the "Tricolor Rotini with Pesto Bianco" (page 202), and was delighted with this white version of pesto, something I had never tried before. Made from pine nuts (traditional for pesto), plus cashews, artichoke hearts, and soymilk, the pesto is creamy and delicious and perfect with any pasta of your choice. I should mention, the recipe also calls for ¼ cup of olive oil, but instead I used ¼ cup of light vegetable broth with excellent results. The pine nuts and cashews add so much richness, in my opinion no additional oil is necessary, or missed if you leave it out. If you want to add a splash of color to this otherwise monochromatic dish, the recipe notes suggest sprinkling with minced parsley, basil, green peas, or black olives. I added a bit of parsley only, and thought this was delicious simplicity.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

                                                                                 

• Omit the olive oil in the pesto sauce, replacing it with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of light vegetable broth.

• Use whole grain pasta of your choice.