Recipe of the Month: Legume Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin

Connect Health By Belinda Morris, Clinical Nutritionist Legume pasta is a great way to increase the nutritional composition of your favourite comfort foods. With added protein, fibre, heart-healthy nutrients, and being low-allergenic, legume pasta is a great way to enjoy comfort foods in fall while staying on your therapeutic diet needs. This recipe calls for fresh or leftover roast pumpkin, and mushrooms to bump up the plant-based protein. Optionally, this would be great with some free-range chicken breast. A great meal for dinner, gatherings, or excellent to prepare at the start of the week and enjoy for lunch. Ingredients: Legume pasta – for example, any of the legume pastas by Tolerant Foods, found at Choices Market 500g large mushrooms – choose a variety to get the full range of therapeutic benefits to boost your immune system 1/2 of 1 butternut pumpkin, roasted in bite-sized chunks 1 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets 3 tbsp pine nuts 1 tbsp olive oil 4-6 tbsp pesto – you can make your own or go for store-bought 1-3 cloves garlic, diced Directions: Cook legume pasta as directed on the packet. Make sure it is al dente, meaning it is still slightly firm to the bite. With approximately 8 minutes left of pasta cooking, heat oil in a pan. When it is starting to warm, add in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add broccoli and continue to sauté for approximately 5 minutes. If your pumpkin is cold from being leftover, add it in with the broccoli. If you have been fresh roasting your pumpkin, pull it out now and set aside. Serve pasta in large bowls and top with vegetables. Put your desired amount of pine nuts back into the pan and lightly toss over the heat until fragrant. This step is optional but delicious. While the pine nuts are popping, top dish with pesto and mix through. I find this gives you the most flavour and the least amount of stick to the pan! Add the pine nuts, and serve, or store for 5-8 days in the fridge.