Pesto + Cashew Cream + Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb homemade whole wheat fettuccine / box of whole wheat fettuccine
• 1/2 cup of homemade pesto or high-quality store bought pesto (Costco has great pesto)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (optional)
• salt & pepper as needed

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta as directed in boiling water with 1-2 tsp of salt.
2. In a high-powered blender, make the cashew cream by blending the cashews and water until thoroughly creamy and blended.
3. In a medium saucepan, stir in the pesto and cashew cream. Heat over low-medium heat.  Don’t let it come to a boil.
4. Save 1/4-1/2 cup of the pasta water.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the pesto cream sauce and stir until well blended.
6. Stir in the tomatoes.
7. Place on four plates and top with parmesan and freshly ground pepper (can also add salt, if needed, but the pesto is typically very salty).

Variations & Notes:

• If serving meat eaters, try adding 1 cup of shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Try with linguine, pesto cream, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts.
• When draining the pasta, place 3 heaping handfuls of spinach in the colander. Drain the hot water / pasta over the spinach and let sit for one minute, until the spinach wilts. Stir in 1/3 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes.