Whole Wheat Linguine with Kale, Red Walnuts, & Pecorino Cheese

My name is Tim and I have a serious pasta addiction. That which was once a staple of my diet, has all but been banished from the kitchen.  So, if I am going to take on the points to have the pasta, I am not going to have egg noodles and ketchup.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 700 calorie servings ~ 17 Weight Watchers points per serving ~ expect to take 35 minutes to make);

• 8 Ounces Whole Wheat Linguine Pasta
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Bunch Dinosaur Kale
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Red Walnuts
• 1/4 Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

You can find the full recipe over at Blue Apron, you do not need to be a subscriber to access the link. A few things that might help your experience;

• Prep as much as you can beforehand. I didn't and felt 'rushed' nearly the entire time I was cooking. The next time, I will give myself more of a breather after toasting the walnuts/breadcrumbs.
• When making your garlic paste, sprinkle the minced garlic with a couple pinches of kosher (not table) salt. This will act like a grinder and make the process easier.
• We wanted some more protein in the meal so I cooked up some  Alder Plank Salmon to go with this (not included in the prep time, calorie, or point information above). As a note for future consideration, this would also work with a grilled chicken or a garlic lemon shrimp. 
• I would up combining everything in the pot I cooked the pasta. I thought it gave more real estate than if I tried to combine it in the pan I made the sauce (if I used my wok, I might have felt differently). Once I portioned everything out, I added the breadcrumbs, remaining cheese, and toasted walnuts.

This was a lot lighter than I expected.  While I was thinking that I might use a bit less lemon zest, Rose really liked it. I also would use a bit more garlic but, I will confess that we really like the savory end of the scale - so tread carefully if you decide to add more than what is called for. The best part, I think this will become our once-a-month, 'home-pasta' offering.