Skip to main content

Tortellini with Lemon Artichoke Pesto, Chicken & Asparagus


I'm not really one for new year's resolutions, but I do like to think about some of the bad habits I have and start making better decisions.  One of those bad habits is getting too comfortable eating leftovers for lunches at work.  Every once in awhile this is OK, but since we eat a lot of heavy dinners, not always is it the best decision to replicate that same heavy meal at noon the next day. So, one thing I really need to work on, or resolve to do if you must say it, is planning my lunches when making up my weekly menu plan.

While looking through a cookbook that I bought from a local grocery store I came across this recipe and immediately fell in love.  I knew I needed to make it soon, and that it would be perfect for lunches since there are too many things in it that Rob wouldn't like (pesto, artichokes, asparagus to name a few and sadly he's not a huge fan of lemon or tortellini).

This turned out to be a great lunch, and I've just been keeping one big Pyrex container of it in the fridge to scoop from while snowed-in this week!  I also imagine this would make a great base for a pasta salad with some other short pasta like bow-ties!

Another quick little side note, the original recipe yields 4 servings, each at only 252 calories!  I did adjust the recipe some (adding the chicken and omitting cherry tomatoes), but still, those changes couldn't have made the calorie content sky rocket!

Tortellini with Lemon Artichoke Pesto, Chicken and Asparagus
Ingredients:1 package cheese-filled Tortellini (Frozen or dried)
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
7.5 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained with marinade reserved
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
S&P
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup shredded or cubed cooked chicken

Directions:
Boil the pasta as directed on packaging.  If using frozen, add asparagus right away and boil with the pasta.  If using dried pasta, add the asapargus during the last 5-6 minutes of boiling.

While boiling the pasta, chop garlic and basil in a food processor.  Add artichokes, cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, S&P.  Process until smooth.

In a small bowl mix reserved marinade with Olive Oil.  Slow add to the pesto with the processor running on low until well combined.

Drain pasta and return to a large bowl.  Mix in chicken then toss in pesto.

Source: Adapted from Dierbergs Healthy Two



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

A fabulous vanilla cupcake recipe is something everyone needs. EVERY.ONE. Not just bakers. Not just parents that host a lot of kid parties. Everyone. I've tried several, and many have been phenomenal. Then I tried Amy Sedaris's after finding the recipe online, and it was above and beyond the best vanilla cupcake I've ever made. It was an easy batter to make, baked up beautifully, and most importantly - tasted amazing. Regardless if you have never made vanilla cupcakes and need a recipe to start with, or even if you think you have the best - give this one a shot. You will not be disappointed! Vanilla Cupcakes Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/4 cups milk Directions: - Preheat oven to 375 degrees. - Mix butter at medium speed until smooth. Mix in sugar until well blended. - Add eggs, mixing until fully
Post a Comment
Read more

Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker Beef Chili

I don't experiment much with chili because it rarely goes well for me and my family. I've slowly adapted my chili recipe over the years, but I've still always used canned chili beans, with a flavored sauce. I've been wanting to try regular beans (whether canned or dried, I wasn't discerning, just didn't want the sauce), so off to the Googles I went rather than trying to recreate the spice blend from my normal canned beans. Because I was originally planning to make chili in the Instant Pot, that's where I focused my search. Thankfully the recipe I decided to try was adapted from a Slow Cooker recipe, because life got in my way and I wasn't able to make the chili the night before as planned, and I wouldn't have had time to use the pressure cooker with my schedule that day. What drew me to this recipe was the simplicity of the ingredients. And lack of jalapeno. Because somehow nearly every time I plan chili I forget to buy a jalapeno, even if it
Post a Comment
Read more

White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Filling

OK, so, while this recipe was the result of me literally quick thinking at the grocery store rushing around to pick up a few ingredients over Easter weekend, I came up with a fantastic cake filling, in my humble opinion.  I love the cake fillings at Costco and wanted to make a variation on that.  This is really semi-homemade but oh so good!  It's rich, creamy and decadent.  Even my husband loved it, and he's not really a cake fan.  It was so easy to make too! White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse Filling Ingredients: 1 package Jello Pudding - Cheesecake flavor 1 8-oz. container Whipped Cream Cheese, softened 1 8-oz, container Cool Whip, thawed 3 oz. White Chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: Beat softened cream cheese and vanilla with mixer until well blended and light (a few minutes). Beat in pudding mix until fully incorporated. Stir in melted white chocolate. Fold in thawed Cool Whip Allow to set in fridge for a few hours, but don't let it get
4 comments
Read more