Leek Pesto Pasta

Adapted from "My New Roots"

Ingredients

1/2 pkg whole wheat fettucini noodles

1 can extra large black olives

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Leek Pesto

2 leeks, sliced

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbs honey

3 Tbs olive oil

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Roast cashews on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 8 minutes

2. Transfer cashews to the bowl of a food processor

4. On the same baking sheet coat the tomatoes in olive oil, salt, & pepper; roast for 10 minutes at 450 degrees

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, cook for 9 minutes, and drain

6. Add all the pesto ingredients food processor and blend until smooth

7. Add pesto to the warm pasta and mix in the tomatoes and olives

I saw a version of this recipe on "My New Roots" blog and I thought it looked amazing! Her recipe would be even better because she used wild leeks, but since I couldn't find wild leeks this time of year I just used the regular ones. I do have to warn that since they are raw they have a strong onion burn when you add them to the warm pasta. Eric and I were crying from the onion-burn during our first few bites, but then it subsided. So I would recommend blanching the leeks to take the bite out of them. However, it is more nutritious to leave them raw. I was very happy with the pesto! I think my favorite ingredient was the roasted cashews because of the amazing flavor it adds. I also loved the saltiness of the black olives. Eric was more of a fan of the roasted tomatoes. The leftovers made a delicious lunch at work today too!