This lemony ravioli uses store-bought shortcuts as part of a nutritious meal

Here’s a cooking tip you might be surprised to hear from a nutritionist: Go ahead, embrace shortcuts.

Yes, it’s ideal to use from-scratch or just-picked ingredients purchased from the farmers market (with local soil still clinging to them). But let’s be real: That’s not always feasible. And it’s easy to default to the all-or-nothing mentality where if you can’t manage to pull together the “perfect” meal, you just give up altogether and get takeout.

Well-chosen convenience foods can be a bridge to a healthier, more affordable, actually doable home-cooked dinner, so why not take advantage of them?

This recipe revolves around a few of my go-to shortcuts: frozen vegetables, prepared pesto, and fresh or frozen pasta. The pasta here is a package of cheese ravioli that becomes the base for a vibrant, balanced meal-in-a bowl when paired with loads of vegetables.

It’s an ingredient found in the refrigerator or freezer section of the grocery store, and one you can readily stock in your own freezer. The rest of the dish comes together in a skillet as the water is brought to a boil and the pasta cooks.

Sauté garlic, scallions and bite-size pieces of fresh asparagus in olive oil, then add a cup of peas. You could absolutely use fresh peas if you have them, but frozen is equally nutritious, reliably sweet and tender, and couldn’t be more convenient, so don’t hesitate to keep a bag on hand. (It also comes in handy as an ice pack for injuries!)

Next you’ll stir in a sunny hit of lemon zest and juice and cook the vegetables until they’re crisp-tender before adding a big, fragrant dollop of basil pesto. I often have a homemade batch in my freezer, portioned in an ice cube tray, but when that’s not available, I simply pick up a tub of it at the store. (I prefer the fresher taste of the containers found in the refrigerator section, but a shelf-stable jar works, too.)

Toss the cooked ravioli with the verdant, lemony vegetable-pesto medley, and serve it in bowls showered with grated parmesan cheese. In about 40 minutes, you have an alluring, nourishing, home-cooked meal on the table — that seems pretty perfect to me.

• Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.” Learn more at elliekrieger.com.

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Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

5 scallions, light green and white parts, sliced (⅓ cup)

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut at an angle into 1-inch pieces

⅛ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

One (10-ounce) package refrigerated or frozen cheese ravioli

1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost, if frozen)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon)

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade (see related recipes)

Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

In a large (12-inch), deep skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

When the water comes to a boil, season with salt, if desired. Add the ravioli to the pot and cook according to the instructions on the package, about 4 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining the ravioli.

While the ravioli is boiling, add the peas to the skillet with the asparagus, then stir in the lemon zest and juice, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus and peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the pesto, then add the cooked ravioli and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the skillet, and gently toss to combine. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Divide among shallow bowls, garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve.

Servings: 3

Total time: 40 minutes

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Substitutions: For asparagus, use green beans or haricots verts, or sugar snap or snow peas. Gluten-free? Use gluten-free ravioli. For Parmesan, use pecorino Romano or grana Padano.

Nutritional facts per serving (4 large ravioli and scant 1 cup vegetables): Calories: 503, Fat: 22 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 58 g, Sodium: 723 mg, Cholesterol: 54 mg, Protein: 21 g, Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 9 g.

— Ellie Krieger