Homemade Pesto Pasta with Veggie Burger Bites
Pesto:
3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated veggie "parmesan" cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta:
3/4 cup dry of any kind
Burger:
1 Morning Star Garden Burger pattie
To make pesto:[br] Mix all ingredients except for cheese in a food processor. You might want to do it half and half.
Put in sealable container and mix in cheese.
Pesto will last 7 days in the refrigerator, or you can freeze it for a few months. Tip for freezing: use an ice cube try to freeze pesto into single serving blocks, and store in a plastic bag. When you want to use some, just pop one into your warm pasta and let melt. You can make pesto ahead of time to save time when making this dish. Or, you can save time by buying store made pesto, but where's the fun in that?
Cook burger according to oven preparation (about 375 for 15 minutes).
While burger is cooking, cook pasta according to package. Once done, drain and put in bowl. Mix in 2-3 tablespoons prepared pesto.
Take cooked burger out and place on cutting board. While still hot, but comfortable enough to touch, cut into 1/2 inch bite size squares and toss on top of pesto pasta.
If you'd like, grate some more veggie parmesan on top.
Enjoy!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
If this only serves one, isn't a half cup of olive oil an awful lot of fat and calories? One tablespoon alone is 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. Times that by eight and that makes a half cup! Add in the half cup of veggie cheese, the veggie burger and the pasta and you are approaching 1500 calories and well over 100 grams of fat for one serving. The ingredients were a great mix, but one tablespoon of olive oil and half that cheese is more than enough for flavor and taste. Throwing in some broccoli, carrots or cauliflower would boost flavor and add some healthy veggies to the dish.
I apologize! I missed the part about freezing it into individual serving cubes. Sorry! :)
If this only serves one, isn't a half cup of olive oil an awful lot of fat and calories? One tablespoon alone is 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. Times that by eight and that makes a half cup! Add in the half cup of veggie cheese, the veggie burger and the pasta and you are approaching 1500 calories and well over 100 grams of fat for one serving. The ingredients were a great mix, but one tablespoon of olive oil and half that cheese is more than enough for flavor and taste. Throwing in some broccoli, carrots or cauliflower would boost flavor and add some healthy veggies to the dish.