Hey Hey there!
So this week's recipe poll said you guys wanted this quick pasta dish I showed on my stories last week and well I am listening! :)
It's on my monthly rotation. Usually whatever pasta I have made for quick meals, some protein and let's be honest during these winter months mama is using some frozen veggies. It is so so so easy, to throw this meal together if you have pasta and protein made.
And my mama taught me that whipping up a little marinade with your mortar and pestle! My mom is the queen of fast dinners (single mama with three kids who always got homemade dinners) and says that taking a little time to mash up the garlic and herbs with a mortar and pestle is game changing. Do it!! I do these for beans, or rice dishes, chicken you name it. I am on the look out for a bigger ones cause this little guy is hurting my leftover game. ( see a few options below approved by my mama).
And honestly any veggie, protein and kind of pasta works with this yummy pesto-ish dish.
Ingredients
4 turkey cutlets (eggplant works well as a veggie option, chicken or even salmon )
Bag of frozen organic peas
Juice of 1 Lemon
Box of cooked organic red lentil penne pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
1 bottle of Trader Joes Pesto! (or your fav pesto!)
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp coconut oil (ghee works really well here too but I was out) + 1 tsp for pan
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp shallot pepper
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp parsley
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp dried cumin powder
salt & pepper to taste
freshly grated parm + crushed red peppers to taste! and I had really hoped to have some fresh parsley but guys that just doesn't happen!
Recipe
Make pasta to box directions, I like to undercook since it will cook a couple more minutes
While pasta is boiling, heat oil in pan
season each side of the cutlets with salt pepper
while they are cooking, mash up your garlic, rest of oil and species/herbs in your mortar
take cutlets off the stove
strain pasta and save a couple table spoons of the pasta water
in same turkey pan, saute the garlic mixture for 2-3 minutes
add pesto
while that is cooking and smelling heavenly
cut up your cutlets into strips or chucks or whatevs your little people will eat (mine our thin so they are completely cooked by now)
add the pasta, frozen peas and turkey into the pan
stirring until everything is covered nicely
take off the heat and leave covered as peas defrost a bit, this prevents them from getting mushy
b/c God forbid anything being mushy...
top with freshly grated parm, red pepper flakes or with fresh tomatoes (the way Zoe likes it)
I absolutely LOVE this dish, the extra protein, the fact that everyone will eat it. But most of all the fact that I can feed this to guests too. A simple, super fast yummy dish that you must have in your din din rotation.
Hope you'all have a great Friday!
xoxo
Natalie