Can we please talk about this delicious pesto?! I love a good, vibrant green, fragrant pesto. One of my favorite things about pesto is you can make if from a variety of herb, greens and nut options. This particular pesto is a walnut and kale pesto with chives and parsley. So flavorful!
But I wanted to change things up a bit so I sauteed some white button mushrooms in a little butter and garlic (yum!) and then added in my favorite whole wheat penne noodles to make this sauteed mushroom with kale pesto pasta.
But I was still missing a little something – and that’s when these delicious Gardein chick’n strips came into play. These strips are made completely of delicious plant proteins, which makes them uber healthy! Plus, they really soaked in all the delicious mushroom garlic flavors. And not only did the chick’n strips complement the pasta, but top it off with a little kale pesto and we’re talking about a killer meal here!
The best thing about the Gardein chick’n strips is that you can pull them right out of the oven and saute them for a few minutes, and they’re ready to go! Such a time saver! And this recipe is super great because the pasta, mushroom and pesto can be made up ahead of time. That means you’re on your way to a healthy, filling meal in a matter of minutes!
ingredients
pesto
1 garlic clove
¼ cup walnuts, roasted and roughly chopped
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cups roughly chopped Tuscan kale leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
sauteed mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
pasta
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bag Gardein chick’n strips
instructions
pesto
For the pesto, pulse garlic and half of the toasted walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is very finely ground.
Add parsley, chives, half of the kale, olive oil and ¼ cup cold water.
Process until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pulse one final time and set aside.
sauteed mushrooms
In a saute pan over medium heat add garlic and butter and saute for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add mushrooms and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown and soft and remove from skillet.
pasta
With saute pan still on medium heat, add Gardein Chick’n Strips and cook according to package.
Once chick’n is cooked, add back in mushrooms and cooked pasta.
Season with salt and pepper and top with Parmesan cheese.
To serve, plate the chick’n mushroom pasta in bowls and top with fresh pesto.
