Great to have Chef Ellie Krieger back with another recipe that will help us 'Live Better Now.' This time she's making a gourmet-sounding meal without having to spend gourmet-bucks or gourmet-hours in the kitchen!

Ellie Krieger’s Whole Grain Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto

Olive oil cooking spray
1 1/3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and quartered (about 6 medium)*
1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 pound whole grain spaghetti

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes on the tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they are soft and slightly charred. When the tomatoes are nearly done, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a medium dry skillet, toast the almonds over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a food processor, add the garlic and process until they are finely ground. Add the roasted tomatoes, basil, vinegar and pepper flakes to the processor. As the processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Add the parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt and pulse to combine.

Add the pasta to the water and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain and return the pasta to the pasta pot or to a serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Season with additional salt to taste. Serve garnished with whole basil leaves.

Makes 6 servings
Serving size: 1 ¼ cups

Prep time: 12 minutes
Cooking time: 36 minutes

*note: you can substitute a 14.5 ounce can of no-salt added fire roasted tomatoes, drained