This deliciously simple recipe is a great weeknight meal. It gives the family tons of leftovers, and it has cheese! But you don’t have to feel guilty about a large bowl of cheesy pasta when it has impressive superfoods like asparagus and dino kale fresh from the farm.

Lemony Kale & Asparagus Pasta

prep time: 5 min
cook time: 20 min

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1/2 white onion, diced

1 head dino kale, washed and chopped

1 bunch asparagus, washed and chopped

1 pound pasta of choice

1 lemon, zested

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant (about a minute). Next, add the kale and asparagus, and cook down until the kale has softened and the asparagus is tender. Turn the heat down to low to keep warm while you cook the pasta.

2. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Toss the pasta with the veggies, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Add the parmesan, stir together and then drizzle over the extra pasta water. Toss to coat.

3. Taste and season further if needed. Serve topped with the toasted pine nuts and more parm.

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