I have made this pasta dish a couple times in the past few weeks and it is so yummy, I had to share it. It is also such an easy dish to make on those nights that you can’t really be bothered to cook! I have used buckwheat pasta to make it GF and made my own pesto sauce that is dairy free and vegan. I mixed greens into the pasta to get those extra vitamins, minerals and fibre and served it with a piece of salmon for protein and omegas!! I also don’t feel super bloated after eating this pasta which is a bonus! Give it a go next time your craving a hearty pasta dish but want to keep it healthy, nutritious and light on your tummy! #cookingwithge

YOU WILL NEED (SERVES 2)

• 2 cups pasta of your choice – I have used GF buckwheat pasta that I bought from coles
• Half a zucchini chopped and steamed in microwave
• 2 big handfuls of spinach washed and chopped
• Home made vegan pesto sauce (recipe below)
• Salmon fillet (only used 1 tonight as that’s all we had, I would recommend having 1 fillet per person)
• Cheese – I use goats cheese (Meredith Dairy is my favourite brand)

Combine the following ingredients in a blender to create the vegan pesto sauce:

• 1/2 an avocado
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp garlic oil or crushed garlic
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (depends how much lemon you like!)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• A few cracks of pink salt 

Method

1. Make the vegan pesto sauce in blender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Cook pasta as per packet instructions.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a frying pan, salt your salmon and cook on the pan until cooked through and crispy**
4. Once pasta is finished cooking, drain and transfer back to warm pot.
5. Add steamed zucchini and washed/chopped spinach to the pasta and mix through.
6. Mix through home made pesto sauce.
7. Serve pasta in a bowl with your crispy salmon fillet.
8. Top with cheese of your choice!

** See this Instagram post to learn how I make my salmon nice and crispy! https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw1Xwj0hGre/

ENJOY & TAG ME IN YOUR CREATIONS ON INSTAGRAM!