Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta

Excuse the terribly lit photo, and see it's tasty potential. This is a pasta dish I discovered a long time ago and have been making ever since. And I don't re-make a ton of recipes. I just love the combination of lemon, toasted pecans and feta. Add in the broccoli, leeks, and pasta and it's one of my favourite meals.

I'm trying to infuse more positivity into my life, so throughout the day I add to a note file on my phone things that make me happy or that I'm grateful for. I've tried the thing of writing down 5 things at the end of the day, but so far I like doing it all throughout the day because it keeps me constantly searching for something positive instead of dwelling on negative things.

Some things on my list so far are seeing farm animals during the day, snow capped mountains, non squeaking windshield wipers, Abby's (my cat) floppy sleepy body, having a husband who's willing to eat anything I make, and getting home when it's still sunny out. What are some good things in your day so far?

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roasted Vegetable Tomato Sauce on Penne
Quick Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Pasta
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Red and White Tortellini

Pasta with Broccoli, Pecans, Lemon and Feta
Adapted from Entertaining for a Veggie Planet

Note: I edited the olive oil. The original recipe has 1/4 cup, but I usually use less like 2 tbsp.

Serves 4 to 5

1 bunch broccoli, stems and crown, cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 lb whole wheat pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise and washed well
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the leek until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the broccoli and red pepper flakes and heat through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, juice and pecans. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sauce and feta to the hot pasta and cooking water, toss to coat well.