Yummy Almond and Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients
3/4 cup Almonds (about 4 ounces, unsalted or, if salted, then add less salt to the sauce)
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon (or more) crushed garlic
12-16 oz of pasta of choice (we use gluten free Supergrain Pasta by Ancient Quinoa Harvest)
1 T olive oil
1-2 heads fresh broccoli, cut so it is just small pieces of the flowers
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
a little nutmeg
salt and pepper

Optional: sliced mushrooms, sliced almonds to top it off

Cooking Directions:
Pasta: Begin cooking the pasta.  When you strain the pasta SAVE the PASTA WATER--i.e., the water you cooked it in, as you will use some of it in the sauce.  I say to use 12-16 oz of pasta.  We use 12 oz because we prefer more sauce and less pasta, but you could easily stretch this to feed more folks with 16 oz of pasta.

Sauce: When the pasta is almost done cooking, puree almonds, garlic and water in a blender.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the almond puree and 1 cup of the pasta water.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add the pasta and the broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes, adding more pasta water to make it the consistency you like ( up to 21/2 cups total pasta water).  Add the lemon juice and basil and stir for another minute or two.  Add the nutmeg and SERVE! Garnish with sliced almonds (optional).

Yum!

SERVES: 4-6

I served this with a little side of cabbage slaw: shredded cabbage, fresh baby greens, chopped chives and my favorite dressing, Annie's Organic Sesame Ginger.