Basil & spinach pesto.

Lent started today and for my family that meant no meat today & on every Friday until Easter.  This recipe is one of our favorites.  I’ve tried my best to make this vitamin-packed along with it being lower in fat by using very little oil.  This is a great recipe to prepare ahead of time and then just toss together with some freshly cooked pasta.

The recipe is extremely informal.  This is how I normally cook and I encourage you to tweak the recipe to suit your personal taste.

Start with one handful of basil leaves and one handful of baby spinach leaves.  Toss those into your food processor.  I grate some parmesan into the bowl as well.  I don’t use a lot, maybe a 2 tablespoons, as my kids aren’t huge cheese fans.  Salt and pepper.  4-6 garlic cloves that have been peeled.  Juice from one half of a lemon.  Zest from that same lemon.  And a 1/4 c of chopped walnuts or pine nuts.  Pulse until blended.  Then remove the spout and drizzle very slowly olive oil in with the food processor running.  I would say I use about 1 tbl, if that, of oil.  Once it comes together, I stop adding it.  The lemon juice adds enough liquid to the pesto as well.

You can cover and refrigerate or add to your pasta and mix well.

This pesto can be used to top chicken, veggies, bread etc.

 

 

— Knead to Cook