Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pesto sauce and pasta. Simply saute meaty portobello mushrooms and add them to the prepared pesto sauce. This flavorful pasta dish can be made in the time it takes to boil pasta for this vegetarian dinner.
I accompanied the dish with Roasted Pepper Salad. Roasting red peppers intensifies their flavor and gives them a smoky taste. Making your own are great, but not on my schedule for a weekday meal. I find that canned or jarred roasted peppers work will with this salad.
Helpful Hints:
_ Any type of washed lettuce can be used for the salad base.
_ If you don't have a food processor, finely chop the mushrooms and onion by hand, and stir them into the pesto sauce.
Countdown:
_ Put water for pasta on to boil.
_ Make Mushroom Pesto Pasta.
_ Make salad.
SHOPPING LIST
To buy: \ pound sliced portobello mushrooms, 1 small package washed, ready-to-eat Italian-style salad, 1 small package pine nuts, 1 8-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), 1 small can or jar roasted red peppers, 1 container reduced-fat pesto sauce, 1 package fresh linguine, 1 bottle reduced-fat salad dressing and 1 bunch fresh basil optional garnish.
Staples: olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.
