Happy What’s for
Dinner? Wednesday! Since starting
“What’s for Dinner? Wednesday,” we’ve made one chicken dish and one fish
dish. Tonight we’re cooking up
something completely different: Pasta with Spinach-Ricotta Pesto and Seared
Filet Mignon*. Usually pesto
is made with basil. This recipe
uses spinach as the main green leaf in the pesto sauce. Pureeing the spinach leaves allows you
to enjoy a greater amount of the vegetable without all of the volume. Your body will thank you for the extra vitamin
C, folate, and beta-carotene.
*recipe
originally from the July/Aug 2010 edition of Clean Eating
Here’s what you’ll
need to make the recipe for you and one lucky guest:
4 oz of whole-wheat pasta (you can pick the variety)
1 clove garlic
½ c fresh parsley leaves
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4c part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
4 oz filet mignon (or other lean steak)
How to put it all together:
1.
Cook your pasta of choice according to the
directions on the package. When it’s done, be sure to drain your pasta well. Set the pasta aside in a serving bowl.
2.
In a food processor, combine your garlic,
parsley, and spinach until you have created a paste. Next, add the ricotta and vegetable broth and continue to
process the mixture until you have a smooth puree. This is your pesto! Toss your pasta with your pesto sauce.
3.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add your steak. Sear the steak for about 2 mins per
side (your actual cook time will depend on the thickness of the filet and the level of doneness you prefer).
4.
Allow the steak to stand on a cutting board for
3 mins so it can re-absorb its juices.
5. Slice your steak and arrange it on top of your pasta.
6. Enjoy!
