Back to School Dinner Party: Mint Pesto Linguine with Chicken
Well I survived my first day of classes! Thanks so much to all of you for the well wishes!
Classes were awesome, and I’m so excited to finally be starting my program to become a registered dietitan. This semester, I’ll be taking:
- -Food Composition/Preparation + Lab: Study of the composition of food and the physical and chemical changes that occur during preparation and/or processing that affect taste, palatability, shelf-life, and nutrient content.
- (How great does this class sound? I can’t wait to learn tricks and tips to help my cooking and recipe-developing!)
- -Medical Nutrition Therapy I: Intro to the nutrition care process, nutrition assessment, planning of special diets, and application of medical nutrition therapy to selected disease states and conditions
- (I’m very interested to start learning how to properly assess and plan meals for those with special dietary needs)
- -Counseling/Teaching for Health Professionals: Learning theory and counseling strategies; role of the health professional as teacher and counselor; communication with special groups, individuals and groups.
- (I have my Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, so I’m looking forward to incorporating my interest in Communications and Nutrition together with this class)
- -Microbiology + Lab: Biology of microorganisms, especially bacteria. Cellular structure, physiology, genetics and interactions with higher forms of life.
- (I admit I’m not a science person, but this class actually sounds pretty cool!)
- -Clinical Dietetics Practicum I (internship): Supervised practice experience in the health care setting.
- (This semester will be in a nursing home)
It’ll keep me busy that’s for sure, but I’m so happy to be doing something that I love, and can’t wait to share all the nutrition info I’m learning with you all 
To celebrate the start of the semester, I had dinner with my two friends in their new apartment!
We agreed I’m basically their pseudo-3rd roommate (I have my own futon and everything!) 
I brought the good stuff.
Some [yellow tail] Pinot Grigot…because we’re classy like that.
And for our meal, a California-inspired Mint Pesto Linguine with Chicken (oops, forgot to put the chicken on before the picture was taken, but I promise it was delish). Paired with a yummy side salad.
Look at how vibrantly green those sugar snap peas are!
Mint Pesto Linguine with Chicken (Serves 6)
Ingredients
1 box whole wheat linguine
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 can corn (drained and washed)
4 chicken breast (skinless, boneless) cut into cubes
1/2 cup pesto (store bought)
Mint leaves (key ingredient*) crushed to taste
Directions
Step 1: On stove, bring water to boil. Add linguine.
Step 2: In pan, saute chicken in 1 tsp. olive oil or cooking spray.
Step 3: Once chicken is cooked, add sugar snap peas to pan.
Step 4: When linguine is done, drain, and pour back into pot. Throw chicken, snap peas, and corn into pasta pot. Add pesto and mint leaves and mix together with wooden spoon.
Serve and enjoy!
So did I like the meal?
Obviously, I hated it But seriously, how cute are these plates!
Well I’m off to pick up my books and lab coat, do a little work, and then planning a workout later today! Happy first day of September (my birthday month! woohoo)
2 Question for you:
What’s your favorite Fall time ingredient?
Hands down, pumpkin. The first day of September, I always break out the pumpkin spice, buy a can of pumpkin to put in my oatmeal or yogurt, roast pumpkin seeds for snacks, go to Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte—you name it! Maybe I’ll make pumpkin cupcakes for my birthday this year! (with a cinnamon maple icing perhaps?)
What were your favorite classes you took in school?
I really loved this Nutrition Through the Lifespan course I took last year (learned what women should eat before getting pregnant, while pregnant, after giving birth, then child, adult+elderly nutrition)—very cool. Interpersonal Communication (learning how people in different relationships interact with one another) and Ancient Rome and Monuments (took this while studying abroad–we just walked around Rome to all the amazing sites and learned about the art/architecture in the city)
Thanks for visiting my blog. My favorite fall ingredient is honeycrisp apples, so so so good!!
My favorite class in Undergrad was- Daily LIfe in Europe 1300-1800 in Grad school I really liked Strategic Management and Business Law
I love everything and anything pumpkin. I can’t wait for Thanksgiving to come, I start eating yummy pumpkin pie or sweet potato ASAP! lol
Like you, pumpkin is my favourite fall ingredient. Here’s my staple pumpkin muffin recipe – delish, filling and good for you (and I also do a mean pumpkin curry soup):
http://www.shelcor.org/blog/?p=340
I have an undergrad in Environmental Studies, Outdoor Pursuits so my favourite class would be a toss up between the fall canoeing/kayaking/hiking course and the winter skiing/snowshoeing course.
yum these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins look delicious and right up my ally! thanks for the recipe Shelley!
I love pumpkin, too!!!! I am so excited for Fall I can’t even explain it
And Pumpkin Spice Latte…ahhhh!!! Love that recipe…I will definitely have to try it! Happy September 1st!!!
Pumpkin is my favorite, hands down, as well! One of my FAVORITE things with pumpkin are Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins. Out.of.this.world. i tell you!
My favorite class in school was consumer behavior. I just think it is interesting to see how people react to their surroundings and different marketing tactics.
Your recipes keep on impressing me, they are so creative and delicious looking! Love it
Totally agree on the pumpkin note, does pumpkin make colder temps worth it — haha perhaps it just might?!
I love anything with pumpkin and cinnammon flavors–totally reminds me of the holidays!
your amigas are some lucky chicas — i wish i had a girlfriend to cook for muah
I had no idea you go to Uconn, girl! Keep your eyes peeled for a big Ginger running around for me 
my favorite class has been sociology – i love learning about people and how they interact with others. probably a result of all the time I’ve spent people watching.. Im a total creeper.
haha I will keep an eye out for the Ginge!
We have a lot in common Ms. Kristen! I have a BA in journalism (so, not the same as a BA in communications…but similiar)…and I too am back in school becoming an RD! When do you finish? I have about a year left to go…though sometimes I get slowed down because I work full time, too. Good luck in microbiology – I took it last year and it wasn’t near as bad as I thought. I’m getting ready to endure biochemistry (ugh)…
Wow we do sound like we’re in very similar situations! I have 2 years left (including the internship) before I can sit for the exam. Best of luck with finishing your program! I took biochem this past summer and it was actually pretty interesting
I love the pesto and linguine idea with crushed mint! Right now, I have all those ingredients in my pantry, as well as fresh mint in the freezer. Great idea! Thank you.
The corn is a nice touch, too!
I like pumpkin for fall as well as cranberries. I guess it’s a good thing I live in New England
I love adding pumpkin to my oats or yogurt and making cocktails with champers and apple cider. Yum!
Let’s trade classes
Agreed with pumpkin. Hands down, even more so than apples – pumpkin. Pumpkin risotto, pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin soup oh I cannot wait.
My favorite class in undergrad was actually O-chem which is pretty shocking. The tests were kinda like a jigsaw puzzle and I just happened to be good at it. Least favorite = anything that TA’s grade. It’s so hit or miss.
pumpkin risotto!! i’ve been wanting to make this forever, thanks for reminding me!
and organic chemistry? really?
I really loved my food prep class in college! our labs were cooking and taste tasting! what could be better than that! microbiology is not too bad…way more interesting than organic chem! that’s really good that you have a whole class on counseling….my program did not have that (although we briefly covered it in class). good luck this semester!! i hope you will share some stories from your practicum
i definitely will, and i’d love to hear more about your program too!
All your classes sound fascinating! Can’t wait til I start my nutrition classes next fall!
Pumpkin is my fave fall ingredient, although I eat it year-round!
Favorite class? I think I am really going to enjoy my Health, Fitness, and Wellness class this semester–we’ll be learning about personal fitness and nutrition!
All of your classes sound awesome- how exciting. Loving the dinner you guys made- snap peas are fabulous in pasta. I’ve never had a mint pesto but it sounds good!
Favorite fall ingredient- pumpkin!!! Totally getting a pumpkin spice non fat misto today to celebrate my birthday!
Favorite class…anything and everything math. I’m such a nerd
I guess thats why I went to school for engineering
The food composition/preparation class sounds so interesting! I’m jealous! Please keep us posted on the interesting tidbits you learn!
My favorite class ever I took AFTER college as a summer continuing ed course—”American Exceptionalism” taught by a British journalist at Oxford University…he was amazingly knowledgeable and you can’t beat the city of Oxford! I can’t think of anything that stands out from my engineering curriculum as an undergrad!
I also love pumpkin pie but I LOVE pecan pie even more!!
Mmm mint and pesto!
I LOVE MNT!!!!! It’s such an interesting class! Do you have a lab for your counseling class? We did for mine, and we took turn counseling each other and being the patient, which was fun
No the counseling class is only a lecture but we will be doing projects where we do something similar to what you did in lab!
Best class I ever took was Issues Management. I learned so much about PR and crisis communication. I loved it… Your classes sound fun. I hope you have a great semester and look forward to hearing about it