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%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EGrowing%20up,%20we%20didn't%20eat%20meat%20on%20Ash%20Wednesday%20or%20on%20Fridays%20for%20the%2040%20day%20period%20before%20Easter.%20%20That%20meant%20my%20mom%20had%20to%20come%20up%20with%20a%20bunch%20of%20meatless%20meals.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETruthfully%20it%20wasn't%20that%20hard.%20%20And,%20truthfully,%20it%20wasn't%20really%20a%20sacrifice%20for%20us.%20%20Seafood%20is%20allowed%20and%20Lent%20meant%20that%20we%20were%20guaranteed%20one%20seafood%20meal%20a%20week.%20%20That%20was%20considered%20a%20treat!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOften%20that%20meal%20was%20fried%20fish%20or%20fried%20shrimp%20because%20it%20was%20quick%20for%20my%20mom%20to%20prepare%20and%20pleased%20everyone.%20%20She%20also%20made%20tuna%20casserole,%20which%20I%20despise%20no%20matter%20who%20cooks%20it,%20tuna%20salad%20sandwiches%20(hey,%20canned%20tuna%20goes%20on%20sale%20during%20Lent!),%20and%20a%20potato%20and%20egg%20scramble%20that%20I'll%20have%20to%20ask%20her%20about.%20%20I%20remember%20liking%20it,%20but%20not%20how%20she%20made%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EEven%20my%20son's%20public%20school%20still%20serves%20a%20meatless%20meal%20on%20Fridays%20during%20Lent.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20try%20to%20cook%20a%20meatless%20meal%20once%20or%20twice%20a%20week,%20even%20when%20it%20isn't%20Lent.%20%20It's%20mostly%20about%20trying%20to%20lower%20my%20grocery%20bill,%20but%20if%20it%20means%20cooking%20something%20that%20is%20better%20for%20us%20that's%20good%20too.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESince%20it's%20the%20start%20of%20Lent%20and%20many%20people%20are%20looking%20for%20meatless%20ideas,%20I%20thought%20I'd%20feature%20a%20meatless%20meal%20I%20like%20more%20and%20more%20every%20time%20I%20make%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E*%20This%20recipe%20for%20Farfalle%20with%20Zucchini%20and%20Parsley%20Almond%20Pesto%20comes%20from%20Food%20&%20Wine%20Magazine%20and%20can%20be%20seen%20here.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E*%20The%20only%20thing%20I%20think%20I%20do%20differently%20is%20that%20I%20cook%20the%20zucchini%20longer%20than%205%20minutes.%20%20The%20recipe%20says%20the%20zucchini%20should%20be%20brown%20%22in%20spots.%22%20%20I%20prefer%20the%20spots%20to%20be%20the%20color%20of%20the%20zucchini.%20%20What%20I'm%20saying%20is%20I%20like%20the%20brown%20parts!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMise%20en%20place:%20Olive%20oil,%20zucchini,%20garlic,%20Parmesan%20cheese,%20almonds,%20parsley,%20salt,%20pepper,%20red%20pepper%20flakes,%20and%20farfalle%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E(yeah,%20I%20shop%20at%20Wally%20World...you%20already%20know%20I'm%20cheap)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECan%20you%20do%20two%20things%20at%20one%20time?%20%20How%20'bout%20three?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20are%20awesome,%20start%20the%20pasta%20water%20going%20while%20making%20the%20pesto.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20are%20super%20awesome,%20start%20the%20water,%20make%20the%20pesto,%20AND%20heat%20the%20olive%20oil%20for%20the%20zucchini.%20%20Juggle,%20juggle,%20juggle!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESome%20days%20I'm%20awesome.%20%20Some%20days%20I'm%20super%20awesome.%20%20A%20lot%20of%20days%20I'm%20neither.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESalt%20some%20water%20in%20a%20big%20ole%20pot%20and%20get%20it%20boiling.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhile%20your%20water%20heats,%20make%20the%20pesto%20by%20adding%20garlic%20to%20a%20food%20processor.%20Pulse%20until%20thoroughly%20chopped%20then%20add%20the%20almonds.%20Pulse%20until%20they%20are%20coarse.%20Add%20olive%20oil%20and%20parsley%20and%20pulse%20until%20the%20mixture%20becomes%20paste-like.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20Parmesan%20cheese%20and%20pulse%20to%20combine.%20%20Season%20with%20salt%20and%20pepper.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20pesto%20is%20tasty%20and%20more%20economical%20than%20a%20traditional%20basil/pine%20nut%20pesto.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%20may%20be%20about%20time%20to%20start%20cooking%20your%20pasta.%20%20Before%20you%20drain%20it,%20swipe%20about%20a%20cup%20of%20cooking%20liquid%20from%20the%20pot.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20may%20need%20it,%20you%20may%20not,%20but%20it's%20better%20to%20have%20it%20than%20to%20wish%20you%20did.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20haven't%20already,%20heat%20olive%20oil%20in%20a%20skillet.%20%20Add%20the%20zucchini%20and%20cook%20until%20it%20browns.%20%20I%20like%20to%20go%208-10%20minutes.%20%20I%20like%20a%20lot%20of%20color.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20the%20drained%20pasta%20to%20large%20bowl.%20%20Toss%20with%20the%20pesto.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EToss%20in%20the%20zucchini.%20%20I%20like%20to%20do%20the%20pesto%20first%20and%20separately%20to%20avoid%20mangling%20the%20zucchini.%20%20If%20the%20pasta%20looks%20too%20dry,%20add%20some%20of%20the%20cooking%20liquid%20until%20it%20looks%20right%20(ha!).%20%20Season%20with%20salt%20and%20pepper.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EServe%20topped%20with%20more%20Parmesan%20cheese.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBring%20a%20large%20pot%20of%20salted%20water%20to%20a%20boil.%20Add%20the%20farfalle%20and%20cook%20until%20it%20is%20al%20dente.%20Reserve%20about%20a%20cup%20of%20cooking%20liquid,%20then%20drain%20the%20pasta.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMeanwhile,%20in%20a%20food%20processor,%20pulse%20the%20garlic%20clove%20until%20it%20is%20f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