Rotini With Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Pasta is a lifesaver on busy weeknights, and when I want to make it just a little more special without any extra effort, I mix up a pesto sauce.

I like playing around with pesto, a lot. I make it with all kinds of herbs and leafies, including spinach, cilantro, and mint, and sometimes even with edamame, or soybeans.

My sun-dried tomato pesto is a fresh twist on a classic favorite. It's a pretty straightforward recipe with minimum prep time, so I won't ramble on for too long either. Enjoy, everyone!

Rotini With Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients:

1 lb whole-wheat rotini pasta, cooked according to package instructions until al dente.

2 ripe avocados, diced

1 cup artichoke hearts, steamed until tender

For pesto sauce:

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes with about 2 tbsp or more of the oil they were packed in. (If not using tomatoes packed in oil, you can just add about 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil)

1 habanero pepper, deseeded (this is a screaming-hot pepper, so use less if you are not into too-spicy food)

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Salt to taste

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and give them a spin until they break down into a paste. Drizzle in some more oil if too dry.

Toss the cooked rotini with the pesto sauce and the vegetables. I had avocados and artichoke hearts on hand but roasted red peppers, zuccini squash or asparagus spears would all work great in this.

Enjoy!

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I also wanted to share news of the Yummyblog award that four fellow bloggers, Uma, Sunshinemom, Shubha and Pearlsofeast, have chosen to share with me. The fact that each of these lovely ladies is a wonderful cook really sweetens the pot.

The award is meant for blogs with some of the most delicious recipes and photos, and I am also required to pass it on to four bloggers.

That decision was easy. I am going to return the compliment:

Uma, Sunshinemom, Shubha and Pearlsofeast: congratulations, ladies, and I cannot think of anyone who deserves this award better than the four of you! And I do mean it, because I cannot wait each day to see what tasty creation each of you will come up with. And although we've so far only communicated in the nebulousness of the blogosphere, I feel like each one of you is a good, good friend!

The award also requires me to list my four most favorite desserts. Although I would describe my sweet tooth as only middling, I won't deny that anything remotely delicious-- salty, spicy or sweet-- doesn't usually last long around me. Before I went vegan, I loved gulab jamoons, but I haven't found a way to veganize those yet. Until then, here goes:

Aamras (with almond milk, of course)

Jalebis

Kaju Katli

Apple Pie

Happy eating, everyone!