Homemade pesto

I have a secret addiction...and it's not a terribly healthy one.

Pesto!



I love it and would eat it every day if I could. But the store bought stuff is highly processed, too oily and not enough basil. And it's too easy to overeat, because the taste isn't very strong. I needed a way to make this treat a lot healthier.

So I looked at my food processor and my basil plants and decided that making my own pesto would definitely be in my better health interests. Because the ingredients in pesto ALL have various health benefits and can be very beneficial...in moderation!

Here's the recipe that I used.

Time: About 10 minutes total

Serves: Makes about one cup

Ingredients:
Basil leaves - about 2 cups
Pine nuts - about 4 tablespoons
Grated parmesan cheese - about 2 tablespoons
Lemon juice - from half a lemon
1 garlic clove
About 3 tablespoons of olive oil



Method:

1) Place all the ingredients except 2 tablespoons of oil into a food processor and blitz for a few seconds.



2) Stir, check consistency and add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Check taste and add more of any ingredient you feel needs to be added.



3) Repeat as many times as necessary to get the perfect consistency and taste.

4) Enjoy a small serve (not the whole cup!) with some grilled chicken or fish, as a dressing for salad, as a dip for crackers or vegie sticks or on your favourite pasta.



Categories
#healthy_recipes




%healthyhints