Fun fact. Tate’s mom made this pesto using the Beaba baby food steamer and processor. In this season of life, making baby food regularly, it made the most sense to re-purpose kitchen tools that were already in use. Regardless of process, we were able to create a pasta dish that is easy to make and tasty for the whole family. One of the best parts of this recipe is that it can easily be made dairy free by not adding any Parmesan cheese while serving.  Healthy, simple, and delicious? We call that a weeknight win.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Makes: 4 servings 
Total Time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients for Pesto:

• 1 head of broccoli (feel free to buy a package of broccoli florets instead)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• salt and pepper to taste 

Ingredients for Pasta:

• 1 lb of your favorite pasta (we used cavatappi)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half 
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions: 

1. Steam the head of broccoli over a pot of water or in a steamer (or in the Beaba) for 15 minutes or until the broccoli is tender when poking with a fork or knife.
2. Transfer the broccoli to a blender and add the remaining pesto ingredients (cilantro – red chili flakes). Blend until you get a smooth consistency. Depending on your definition of “bunch”, you may need to add more olive oil. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
3. Cook the pasta al dente per the package directions. Rinse the pasta with cold water and add back to the hot pot that you cooked it in. Add the pesto and toss so that the pesto thoroughly coats the pasta. 
4. Place the pasta in a serving dish and add chopped tomatoes and Parmesan. Serve warm.