I love dishes like this because I can easily set aside plain pasta and broccoli for my kids before I create a meal that my husband and I will enjoy. One day their taste buds will catch up with ours, but for now, I let them enjoy their version of a simple dinner!
Special thanks to Elizabeth Thomas for this guest post.
Ingredients:
– 1 14 ounce box whole wheat pasta (penne or bow tie preferred)*
– 1-2 cups steamed broccoli
– 1-2 cups baby arugula
– 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional; omit if nut-free
– shaved Parmesan cheese (optional; omit if dairy-free)
For the lemon vinaigrette:
– 1-2 tablespoons lemon zest
– juice from 2-3 lemons
– 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 cup olive oil
Directions:
Cook pasta according to box directions. While pasta is cooking, make the vinaigrette. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Whisk olive oil into the mixture in a slow, steady stream. Set aside. Drain cooked pasta and run under cold water until pasta has cooled slightly. Add cooled pasta, cooled steamed broccoli, and baby arugula to the lemon vinaigrette and toss gently. Top with pine nuts and shaved Parmesan cheese if desired.
Adjust the amount of lemon zest and juice to your taste. I love tart flavors, but you may prefer a more mild vinaigrette.
*To make this a gluten-free recipe, you will need to use gluten-free pasta*. For a dairy-free recipe, omit the cheese; for nut-free, omit the pine nuts.
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