Creamy Pesto Pasta

A light and healthy zucchini noodle dish that is filled with colourful vegetables. Easy to make and delicious, this dish is loaded with essential pregnancy nutrients including folate, vitamins A and C, and iron.

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini, peeled and sliced into thin noodles

1 cup asparagus pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

8 ounces (200g) mushrooms, sliced

60g prosciutto or nitrate-free bacon (optional)

½ cup frozen peas

½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup raw cashews

4 cups boiling water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp chopped basil

2 tbsp baby spinach

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of nutmeg

Serve with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil

Method

Soak the cashews in 4 cups of boiling water for at least 30 minutes.

In another large pot, blanch the zucchini noodles in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Pour the noodles into a colander and immediately run cold water over them. Allow them to drain.

Steam the asparagus in the same pot of water, cooking them for about 3 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain the water and set the asparagus aside.

Sauté the prosciutto and mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Meantime, drain the cashews, but reserve the soaking water. Blend the cashews with 1 cup of the soaking water in a blender. Add the lemon juice, garlic, basil, baby spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg and blend to a smooth sauce.

Add the sauce, asparagus and peas to the pan with the mushrooms and prosciutto. Simmer for 7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and remove from the heat. If your sauce is too thick, add a bit of the cashew water to thin it out.

Serve the sauce over the zucchini noodles garnished with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.

Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.