Easter is all about renewal and celebrating family and friends. I’m joining a group of bloggers for a virtual Easter party! All the recipes are plant based and healthy so you don’t have to worry about feeling guilty for indulging! There are some incredible bloggers out there creating beautiful, delicious food so be sure to check out all the recipes!
Traditionally menus are based around ham or lamb but if we look a bit further it’s the perfect time to go Vegetarian. Build your Easter dinner around the fresh produce that Spring brings. I looked to some of my favorite early season veggies for a simple and delicious pasta dish that can be enjoyed all season long. I love artichokes and we always keep a jar of vegan pesto in the fridge to top sandwiches, add to pastas and anything that needs a little flavor boost. It comes together in minutes if you use canned artichoke hearts and gets a great zing of flavor from parsley, lemon and olives. I used Castelvetrano olives because I love the color and flavor but you can use any olives that you prefer. I also toasted some almond flour in a little bit of coconut oil to add a little crunch to the pasta. It was a great addition but you could sub some grated parmesan if you aren’t Vegan, some nutritional yeast or even some sliced almonds instead.
I have to be honest, I did roast my own artichokes the first time I made this recipe but it is so much easier to use canned artichokes so that is the version I am sharing with you here. I’ll be sure to share my favorite way to prepare fresh artichokes in a future post but lets keep things easy and simple today.
Holidays in general to me are times to spend with loved ones and take the time to enjoy each others company and eat some delicious food. I hope you have a great Easter and if you make this recipe I’d love to hear what you think. Post a comment, or post a pic and tag it #scalingback on Instagram!
Be sure to visit all the blogs in the virtual Easter party, leave comments and pin their recipes!
A Sunshine Mission /// Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars
Brewing Happiness /// Heathy Ambrosia Salad
She Can’t Eat What /// Easter Coconut Oat Granola with Rosewater Cream
Nourish Everyday /// Superfood Chocolate Cake with Matcha Frosting
Wholehearted Eats /// Rainbow Rolls with Creamy Miso
Rebel Recipes /// Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Lemony Cashew Cream
Hot for Food /// Vegan Carrot Cake
Chocolate for Basil /// Green Apple Celery Slaw with Candied Pecans
Naturally Hanne /// No Bake Chocolate Mousse Tarts
Some Bits and Bobs /// Steamed Veggies with Quinoa and Sprouts
Well & Full /// Purple Cauliflower Tabbouleh
Gratitude & Greens /// Vegan Easter Egg Truffles
Nourish Atelier /// Beluga Lentil Caviar 2 Ways
Food by Maria /// Vegan Potato Gratin with a Twist
Vegetaryn /// Vegan Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs
- For the pesto:
- 1 12-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ cup caselvetrano olives, pitted
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- For the pasta:
- 8 ounces pasta of your choice
- 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
- 1 bunch of asparagus (12 ounces), trimmed and washed
- 1 cup of marinated quartered artichoke hearts
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- Add the artichoke hearts, garlic, olives, almonds, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor and process, scraping the sides until you get a nice uniform smooth mixture. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
- Cut the snap peas in half lengthwise or into ½-inch pieces (whichever you prefer) Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. 2-3 minutes before the pasta is finished cooking add the asparagus and snap peas to the pasta water. Drain the pasta and vegetables, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- In a small skillet heat the teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the almond meal and cook for 4-5 minutes until the almonds are golden, toasty and fragrant.
- To serve put the pasta and vegetables back into the pot, add the artichokes, a cup of the pesto and ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until hot, adding additional cooking liquid to loosen the sauce if needed. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt if desired. Sprinkle the mint over the top along with a spoonful of the toasted almond mixture.
