Shrimp Pasta with Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 oz frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
• 4 oz whole-wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained
• ½ cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup lightly packed basil leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, toss together the cooked shrimp and pasta. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the spinach, basil, walnuts, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pulse to chop finely. With the machine running, add the garlic until finely minced. Scrape down the bowl and add the olive oil in a thin stream.
3. Scrape down the bowl and transfer basil mixture to a serving bowl. Stir in the cheese and salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of pesto to the shrimp and pasta mixture, toss lightly and serve. Refrigerate remaining pesto for later use.

Yields eight tablespoons of pesto. Keep the remainder covered and refrigerated for topping chicken, fish, vegetables or pasta.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 380, Total Fats: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 230 mg, Sodium: 375 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 32 g, Dietary Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 1 g, Protein: 36 g, Iron: 2 mg