Recipe: Red Pesto, Broccoli and White Bean Salad

This week’s salad is so good! I’ve been struggling to find ways to include protein in these salads – the beans and pistachios do the trick here. If you wanted to be extra healthy, omit the pasta and go straight veggie.

Another healthy salad for a busy week:

Red Pesto, Broccoli and White Bean Salad

2 small heads of broccoli
1 can of white beans, rinsed
3/4 package of bow tie pasta
1 cup of shelled pistachios
1/4 cup of crumbled feta
2 tablespoons of red pesto
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of butter
Dash of olive oil
Salt & pepper

Boil the water for the pasta and chop the broccoli into small pieces. Add the pasta to the water. Melt the butter in a separate pan on high, add the broccoli and garlic and cook until just barely browned. Turn off heat from the broccoli. Add the white beans and one tablespoon of the red pesto. Season to taste.

Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Toss with the broccoli mixture and pistachios. Mix the second tablespoon of red pesto with a bit of olive oil to thin and toss with the pasta. Season to taste and add the feta once it is fully cooled.