Mushroom Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 400g fresh fettuccine
• 200g mushrooms, sliced
• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 75g basil pesto, heated through
• 250ml cheap cooking cream
• 30g parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves — staple
• 15ml oil, total — staple
• 200g carrot, grated
• 200g courgette, grated

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide pan. Brown mushrooms, then add carrot and courgette and soften for 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and garlic, then pesto and cream. Simmer until tomatoes burst and vegetables are tender and hot through.
3. Cook pasta as directed, drain and reserve cooking water.
4. Stir parmesan through the sauce, toss in the pasta and all vegetables, loosen with reserved water and serve.

Notes

- Vegetarian base as written: do not pick as a household dinner without adapting the protein. For four serves, add 450g raw breast, reduce fresh pasta to 300g and cream to 75ml, brown chicken first and return to sauce until fully cooked. Use pasta water rather than extra cream. Recalculate for beef/pork portions. - Macro estimates per serve include all served carbohydrates, dairy/cheese and measured cooking oil. Whole cooked vegetables: at least 200g/serve excluding potatoes and canned tomato. Brands vary; garlic, spices and small garnishes are approximate. - The specified chicken version is approximately 650 calories / 49g protein per serve, including pasta and oil. The vegetarian base cannot be selected without adapting it. - Listed proteins are alternatives for the main meat. Retained bacon, eggs and dairy still count. Compare allowed meats by price per gram of protein and recalculate portions/macros for 40–50g protein per serve and at most 20 calories per gram. Use raw meat, no lamb or unrequested steak cuts; adjust cooking time for the cut and cook through.