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Recipe by Chef Voula Halliday

Loaded with fresh lemony flavour and goodness, this creamy pasta will be an instant family favourite. Almond is a great compliment to broccoli in this delicious and nutritious one pan dinner. More recipes can be found at www.sonice.ca

Makes 4 serving

Ingredients:

1 crown                                    broccoli

4 cups (1 L)                             uncooked penne or rotini pasta

1                                                   lemon

4                                                   green onions

1 cup (250 mL)                     grape tomatoes (optional)

3 tbsp (45 mL)                      extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves                                   garlic, finely minced

2 tbsp (30 mL)                      unbleached all purpose flour

2 cups                                       So Nice Almond Unsweetened organic almond beverage, warmed

¼ tsp (1 mL)                           salt

¼ tsp (1 mL)                           black pepper, ground

½ cup (125 mL)                    toasted flaked almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets and peel, then thinly slice tender stalks. Set aside.
2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes add broccoli to the pot with the pasta and boil for additional 3 minutes. Drain, then rinse with cold water and set aside. (The pasta will be slightly undercooked, as it will finish cooking when baked in the oven.)
3. While pasta is cooking, finely grate the zest of lemon and squeeze juice from lemon and set each aside separately. Finley slice green onions and cut tomatoes in half.
4. Preheat oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C). In a small sauce pan set over medium heat, cook garlic in olive oil briefly to bring out aroma, but making sure not to burn. Add flour to pan and cook, stirring often, for approximately 2 minutes.
5. Whisk warm So Nice into flour mixture and continue whisking, until sauce thickens to a creamy consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes. Sauce should bubble during whisking. Remove from heat and stir in salt, black pepper and lemon zest.
6. In a 9×13 (3 L) baking dish, combine the pasta and broccoli with the green onions, tomatoes and reserved lemon juice. Evenly pour the sauce over the pasta mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds, if desired.

Nutrients per serving: 469.8 calories, 13.1 g fat (1.8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 0.0 g cholesterol, 13.9 g protein, 382.6 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g fibre, 3.2 g sugars, 217.4 mg sodium, 204.2 mg calcium