Pesto Pasta And Obesity Awareness

Bring
the flavors of the spring and summer to your table! This Pesto Pasta
combined fresh pesto with perfectly cooked pasta, tossed with smooth
mozzarella and pops of bright flavor from little grape tomatoes. Easy to
prepare and fun to eat, Pesto Pasta is the perfect way to welcome
spring!

This is also a great dish if you are wanting to bring your kids into the kitchen. They can help rip the mozzarella into pieces, or use a plastic, kid-safe knife to easily cut the cherry tomatoes. You can sneak some vegetables into your next family meal with this bright, colorful, and whimsical dish!

On a side note, I recently was made aware of some facts about the obesity rate here in America, and wanted to bring some shocking details to your attention. This just reinforces the idea that we all need to know the facts and be informed so we can make healthy, positive choices!

With that in mind, how about trying out this healthy and light recipe?

Pesto Pasta

Serves 7         Serving Size: about 1 and 1/3 cups         Calories/Serving: 297

Ingredients:

• 1 batch Broccoli-Basil Pesto
• 12oz whole-wheat pasta of your choice (I used Rotini)
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1/4tsp pepper
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella balls, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half, seeded

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Remove from water, drain well, and allow to cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, salt, pepper, and pesto (use only a half batch of the pesto if you want a more delicate flavor; I am a pesto lover so I used a whole batch). Carefully fold in grape tomatoes and mozzarella.
3. Serve and devour!