By Michaele Garcia
November 21, 2021
Pesto is not only delicious but very versatile and super healthy
Pesto is traditionally made with basil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese, but my kids were never big fans, not until I started to use spinach or kale instead of basil and leave out the parmesan cheese, resulting in a much milder flavor. This is now my super-healthy and delicious family-approved go-to recipe which I quickly make for different uses:
Spinach Pesto
Ingredients:
- 1 handful organic baby spinach (or baby kale)
- 2 Tbsp almonds (or walnuts)
- ½ – 1 lemon or lime, juice, to taste
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ – ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
For this recipe I never measure. I just throw a handful of kale or spinach into my blender together with all the other ingredients and blend until coarsely mixed. You do not want a completely smooth sauce.When I use almonds I put them in first and blend for a few seconds before adding the other ingredients because they are much firmer than walnuts. You could also chop them a bit before adding. The texture will also depend on how much liquid (lime juice and olive oil) you use. Start with a smaller amount and add as you go until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
The Versatility of Pesto
Pesto tastes great with spaghetti, but I also use it with gnocchi. I do not make my own gnocchi, especially since I do not eat too many potatoes. I found two frozen varieties that my family likes at Trader Joe’s, one made with cauliflower, one with kale. I am often not a fan of substituting cauliflower for traditional ingredients, like pizza dough and rice, but in these gnocchi I do not taste the cauliflower, same with the kale. Where the cauliflower gnocchi are a bit more chewy, the kale gnocchi are firmer. You should try it. I like to add a few slices of organic grape tomatoes and maybe a few sprinkles of grated or chopped cheese, preferably a hard goat cheese.
Pesto also makes a great addition to sandwiches. I often make a quick pesto with harder consistency which I spread on bread and top with slices of tomatoes or flakes of cooked salmon to which I add spinach leaves on an organic sourdough or multigrain sprouted bread.
A pesto spread is also good just by itself on a hearty bread or on a thin spread of soft goat cheese. You can try to add ingredients for a different taste.
- Add basil if you decide to make it with spinach and/or kale
- Add black olives
- Try it with sundried tomatoes
A word to pasta:
Who does not love pasta? As most people, I like to eat pasta dishes, but I do not want to eat the processed white flour the traditional pasta is made with. I have tried whole wheat pasta, but do not like the consistency. My favorite now is chick pea pasta. I buy it in many shapes, mostly spaghetti and chick pea orzo, sometimes also called chick pea rice, which is the only rice substitute I like (and so does the family). Several varieties of my favorite brand, Banza, are now available in many grocery stores, but unfortunately, I have not yet found the original Banza chick pea rice/orzo (without added flavors), which I hope will change soon. I order it from Amazon, which is quite convenient and they have several suppliers.
My family eats this chick pea rice with the traditional Cuban beans (https://foodiewithpurpose.com/cuban-style-beans/) and my quick salmon curry (https://foodiewithpurpose.com/salmon/) and other curries I am working on. I have mixed it with Pesto and it tasted really good as a healthy side to a slice of salmon.
As always: Happy Cooking! 🙂