Spinach-Mushroom Orzo with Peas & Pesto … get your greens fix with a tasty, simple pasta dish that’s sure to please!

Posted on April 14, 2012
in Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes
by Maggie Verderame

Delicious with a sprinkling of Parmesan!

This Springy recipe is fresh, fast and family friendly! It’s only got 8 ingredients in it — and that includes the basics of orzo, salt and olive oil, so it is an easy one to cook up in a jiffy to satisfy a hungry crowd. Use pre-made / store bought pesto to make preparing this extra quick.

You’ll get your greens fix with this one, too, that’s for sure. To name just a few of its healthful properties, basil is rich in flavonoids which help protect and strengthen our cells, vitamin A/beta carotene which combats free radicals, and volatile oils, some of which act as anti-inflammatories. Add spinach and peas to this mix, and you’ve got a whopper of a healthy dish that’s tasty and choc’ full of vitamins and minerals for optimal vitality.

Hope you love it!

SPINACH-MUSHROOM ORZO WITH PEAS & PESTO
By Maggie Verderame

1 Cup Orzo (traditional, whole wheat, or, gluten-free)
2 tsp Olive Oil
3 Cups bite sized pieces of Mushrooms (any variety – I prefer baby portobellos)
1/2 Cup fresh/frozen Sweet Peas
1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
3 Cups sliced, fresh Spinach Leaves
3/4 Cup Pesto (3 ice cube tray cubes homemade -or- jarred store bought)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt

Cook orzo in rapidly boiling, salted water until al denti. While the orzo cooks, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a deep skillet. Add mushroom pieces and peas and toss to coat with the oil. Once sizzling, mix in the vegetable broth. Cover for 4-5 minutes, until mushrooms cook down. Drop in spinach, setting it on top of the other ingredients, and cover the skillet again. Cook 3 minutes, then turn off heat. Fold the cooked spinach into the mixture. Add pesto, sea salt, and cooked orzo to the skillet and fold together, blending all ingredients well. Spoon out into bowls and top with a hearty sprinkling of parmesan cheese. … This recipe serves 4 people, but they’re not huge servings, and you will like a nice big bowl of this, so consider doubling for larger crowds. Plus, it’s tasty as a chilled orzo salad the next day, so you’ll enjoy leftovers.