Creamy Cottage Cheese Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat pasta
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1. 01
   Cook the whole-wheat pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. 02
   While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cottage cheese pesto. In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. 03
   In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until they soften slightly.
4. 04
   Add the chopped spinach to the pan with the sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
5. 05
   Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked pasta to the pan. Pour in the cottage cheese pesto and toss everything together until the pasta is well coated and heated through.
6. 06
   Serve the pasta warm, garnished with additional basil or pine nuts if desired.