It’s Meatless Monday again and today we’re providing a recipe courtesy of Food Network star Rachel Ray and her genius 30-minute meals.  With this recipe, Rachel helps us support the Meatless Monday movement to reduce our carbon footprint and eat meat-free one day a week.  Featured on her episode titled ‘no meat, no worries’ this pasta recipe is delicious and easy to prepare.

Three Vegetable Penne with Tarragon-Basil Pesto by Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 pound penne rigate (with lines) pasta
• Salt
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed of tough ends
• 1 small zucchini
• 1/4 pound, haricots verts (thin green beans) trimmed of stem ends
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup basil, 20 leaves
• 1/2 cup tarragon leaves from 10 to 12 stems
• Handful flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 clove garlic
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to pass at table

Directions:

1. Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt the water and add pasta to cook to al dente or, with a bite to it. Cut asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Cut zucchini into matchstick shapes. Cut haricots verts or green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Add vegetables to pasta after penne has been cooking about 5 minutes. Cook veggies and pasta together 2 minutes.
2. While pasta cooks, toast pine nuts in a small pan until golden, then cool. Place nuts, basil, tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, cheese and a little salt and pepper in a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until thick sauce forms.
3. Scrape pesto into large, shallow serving dish. Add a ladle of hot, starchy pasta water to the pesto. Drain penne and veggies and add immediately to pesto. Toss to coat pasta and vegetables evenly. Adjust salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with extra grated cheese to pass at table.

Although it’s more than filling on its own, you can add a salad or some bread (or both) to include with your meal.

Thanks Rachel – dinner is served.  To learn more about how you can support the Meatless Monday eco-friendly campaign, visit meatlessmonday.com.

Tags: 30 minute meals, carbon footprint, eco-vegetarian, eco-vegetarianism, Food Network, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School, Meatless, Meatless Monday, Meatless Mondays, Penne recipe, planet forward, Rachel Ray, recipes, Vegetable Penne Basil recipe, Vegetable penne recipe, Vegetarian, vegetarian pasta recipe, vegetarian recipes, vegetarianism