By: Stacey Garcia

When preparing meals for my family I always aim for dishes that are flavorful and fresh.? I love to shop at the farmer’s market on Sunday mornings to gather tons of delectable, delicious produce for the week.? I love being creative with my meals and rarely use recipes.? If I do it’s usually a family favorite that’s been passed on from generation to generation or something healthy from www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/.? If you own an iPhone, then you’re in luck!? Whole Foods has an App just for you.? www.wholefoodsmarket.com/iphone/ It doesn’t get much easier than that!

If you have food sensitivities/allergies like me, finding delicious allergen-free meals can be hard at times.? Whether you’re gluten-free, Vegan, or just trying to be more aware of what you eat, look no further!! Every week I will share a few of my food secrets with you.? Within weight-loss.. healthy eating is half the battle.

I cook vegetarian entrees as often as possible.? If my boys had their way, they would be eating meat every day.? I try to create meals that fulfill their meaty cravings without using heavily saturated ingredients.? Within each meal you will find a combo of (good) carbohydrates, lean protein, and heart healthy fats.? So without further ado…. our recipe of the week….

Stacey’s Pesto Pasta

  • Whole Grain Pasta of your choice.? (I love gluten-free rice pasta.? Try to find one with at least 4 grams of fiber per serving.)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Fresh vegetables of your choice
  • Pesto Sauce
  • Manchego Cheese, grated

While your pasta is cooking start preparing your sauce in a separate pan.? You can add whatever veggies you like.? I throw in fresh ingredients that I found at the farmers market.? Use 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil then heat your skillet on a medium setting.? Add fresh mushrooms, broccoli, onions, and garlic.? Saute for a couple of minutes.? Add chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.? Add cooked pasta to skillet and stir.? If needed add a little more oil and pesto sauce (either home made or store bought.? I love the dairy free pesto sauce from whole foods).? Add grated Manchego cheese and fold into the pasta.? Voila!!? Eat and Enjoy!