Vegetable Penne with Pesto

16 oz. penne pasta
1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
1 small zucchini, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 pound haricots verts* or regular green beans, stem ends trimmed
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on each dish)
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For pesto:
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup basil (20 leaves)
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
1/2 lemon, zested
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
1/3-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (depending on the consistency you like, runny vs. thick)
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Cook pasta per package instructions, salting the water before adding the pasta to the pot. After the pasta has been cooking 5 minutes, add the asparagus, green beans, zucchini and red bell peper.
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While the pasta and veggies cook, prepare the pesto. Toast pine nuts in a small frying pan until golden brown, then cool. Place nuts, basil, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, Parmesan and a little salt and pepper in a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until thick sauce forms.
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Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Combine reserved pasta water with pesto and toss with pasta and vegetables. Serve immediately.
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This dish is delicious as-is or you can add diced grilled chicken to incorporate some protein. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

*Haricots Verts are thin green beans and I've never used them for this recipe. They just sound less ghetto than green beans. :)