Gluten-Free Fettuccine with Lemon Kale Pesto, Caramelized Shiitake Mushrooms and Grilled Asparagus

I wanted to cook up a bright summery dish for dinner, so I combined a few of my favorite flavors to create this light and healthy summertime dish. The lemon zest really helps the kale pesto pop! And I caramelized the shrooms in a sweet glaze to balance out the tart in the lemony pesto. Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Lemon Kale Pesto, Caramelized

Shiitake Mushrooms and Grilled Asparagus 

by Sarah Farsh - June 21, 2015

• Kale/Pesto: 
• 1 pack Tinkyada - Gluten Free Brown Rice Fettucini (14oz)
• 2 cups lacinato kale, chopped - stem removed
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 2 sun dried tomatoes 
• 4 - 5 cloves fresh garlic (depending how garlicy you want it)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Splash of water
• Caramelized Shiitake's:
• 2 tbsp balsamic glaze (sweet, balsamic vinegar reduction)
• 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• pinch salt
• 1 pack shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (1 pack)
• 1 tsp olive oil (optional, you can also use water)
• Grilled Asparagus
• As much asparagus as you like, ends chopped off, grilled

In a VitaMix or high powered blender, combine kale, basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper and splash of water together and blend together to form kale pesto. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Meanwhile, combine balsamic glaze, tamari or soy sauce, garlic powder and pinch of salt together. Warm up a non stick pan add 1 tsp of oil or 1 tbsp of water and add your shiitake mushrooms. Poor balsamic glaze mixture over mushrooms and cook on medium/low heat for 7 minutes on each side. Cook up your pasta noodles in the boiling water, and cook until al dente. Drain water from pasta, but leave the noodles a little wet, and poor pasta back into pot. Poor kale pesto on top of pasta, and lightly combine together. Top pasta with caramelized mushrooms and grilled asparagus or veg of choice.