Green Pasta

The first recipe post for the year! I was in a pasta-ish sort in preparing my packed lunches for the week, but I wasn't sure whether I wanted a tomato-based sauce or a cream one. In the end, I settle for neither and opted for a green-vegetable based sauce. The result is almost like a pesto, although I took inspiration from a green pea soup as the sauce base.

(there would've been a picture here. but i forgot to take it. d'oh! -_-)

Green Pasta Sauce
1 cup of frozen green peas
2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
1 medium onion
1 tbsp garlic
1 bunch of mint leaves
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil to flavour
Leftover Christmas meat (I used a combination of cooked chicken and ham, chopped)

1. Boil the peas in salted water. Once cooked, drain and reserve cooking liquid
2. Blend peas, spinach, onions, garlic and mint in three equal parts; for two parts, use the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the mix, for the last part, use olive oil
3. Combine the sauce together in a shallow pan and cook lightly over low heat, stirring continuously until fragrant.
4. Mix in meat and season to taste.
5. Spoon over cooked pasta for a satisfying lunch!

By itself, the sauce tastes like a blended salad (whici is what it is, essentially). Combined with pasta, the meat and mint make this a surprisingly refreshing - and nutritious - meal!

Tags: green spinach pea pasta budget recipe