MeatLESS Monday-Asparagus and Artichoke Pasta

We have so much asparagus in the garden it's coming out our ears.
What's great about this recipe is if you don't have some of the ingredients it's not a deal breaker (these removable ingredients have an asterisk by them.)
The dish it still good with out them, just not great! I have sometimes made this with out the herbs and even the asparagus ( I just didn't have any) and still it was delicious. If you really like a certain ingredient, or you're worried it's going to spoil before you get to use it, this recipe works with adding more here or decreasing something you don't like there. What more could you ask from an easy Monday night dinner. Enjoy!

I love that this photo is blurry-it shows I'm a real person just wanting to eat good food-not take pictures of it. I usually don't photograph my food before I eat it, but I'm trying to be better because Lindsay wants photos to go along with recipes. This one's for you Linds ;)

Feeds 4-6 people
14-16 ounces pasta rotini (Whole wheat is best) (rotelli and cavatappi also work) boiled
1 pound asparagus* ( about 8-10 stalks)-steamed

12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, with out liquid, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

2 large firm, ripe tomatoes*, diced ( sometimes I omit these)

1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes

1 Cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil*

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley*

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese of Vegan Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Prepare:

Cook the pasta in rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, trim the woody bottoms off of the asparagus stalks. Cut them into approximately 1 1/2-inch lengths. Steam in a medium skillet with a small amount of water until bright green and tender-crisp, then drain.

Blend in food processor sun dried tomatoes and olive oil until you have a nice chunky "dressing" for coating the pasta.

Combine the cooked pasta and steamed asparagus in a serving bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve warm with a big green salad on the side for dinner. Make this for a BBQ and serve the pasta cold for a fresh tasting pasta salad that everyone will enjoy.