Zesty Green Pea and Jalapeño Pesto Pasta Recipe - Quick, Healthy & Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• juice and zest from 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups fresh garden peas or defrosted frozen green peas
• 3 cups dried fusilli or rotini pasta
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 shallot or small red onion, chopped
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black, green or white pepper

Instructions:

1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Drain and chop.Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to package directions. Two minutes before the pasta is finished cooking, toss in the remaining peas.In a small food processor, process the sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the peas, basil, mint, shallot or onion, garlic, jalapeo, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small food processor. Process until smooth.
3. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if the pesto is too thick to process.
4. Drain the pasta and peas and toss with the pesto.
5. Serve hot or warm, or cold as a salad.