GINA Salad helps lighten the fare, and these green beans with cheese tortellini are a nice change from the traditional tossed salad. I am a big salad-eater, and there are a lot of women like me out there. Honey, we’re trying to stay as “fabulous” as we can, eating all those greens. We just have to mix it up a bit so we don’t get bored!

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 cups 1/2-inch slices trimmed green beans

　　1 pound cheese tortellini, fresh or dried

　　1/3 cup pecans

　　2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

　　1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

　　1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

　　1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

　　1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

　　1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

　　Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Prepare a large pot of salted boiling water, and a large bowl of ice water.

　　

Step 2

Blanch the green beans in the boiling water, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the beans with a spider or tongs, and shock them in the large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Add the tortellini to the same pot of boiling water, and cook according to the package instructions. Drain well, and let cool.

　　

Step 3

Combine the pecans and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add basil, parsley, mint, red-pepper flakes, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and the lemon juice and zest, and pulse again until finely chopped. Drizzle in the olive oil while the motor is running, and blend until thoroughly combined.

　　

Step 4

Combine the green beans and tortellini in a serving bowl, and toss with the pesto. Serve at room temperature.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.