Presto Pesto!

Fall is slowly coming to an end and the holidays are fast approaching.  The one thing I miss most during winter, is my herb garden. I know, I know, I can grow indoor herbs but I have two cats that love to attack my indoor plants, so an indoor herb garden would never last. 

The autumn season in New Jersey has been pretty mild which means my basil has been growing for a lot longer than usual and I still have basil by the bushels! I harvested the rest of my basil today because unfortunately, colder temperatures are in the forecast. 

My favorite way to use up basil is pesto! I make a big batch and freeze the rest when I need that burst of summer in the dead of winter.

I make this recipe one of two ways, I either use all basil, or I mix in spinach for an added boost of iron, anti-oxidants and vitamins. It’s so yummy!!! 

This pesto is also dairy-free and can easily be nut free by swapping the nuts for pumpkin seeds.

The beauty of intuitive eating is you can decide how this pesto is served. If you’re craving pasta, eat it! If you’re in the mood for a lighter dish, swap the pasta for zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. Honor your hunger and cravings and enjoy it! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of fresh basil

1 1/2 cups of spinach

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds or (nut of your choice, walnuts work great!)

2 small garlic cloves

1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup of Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 1: Combine the basil, spinach, garlic, pumpkin seeds and lemon juice in a food processor or high powered blender.

Step 2: Pulse the ingredients a few times to get it started, while the processor is running on low, drizzle in the olive oil. It’s that easy.

Step 3: For the spaghetti squash, I like to cook it in the microwave. I do this by splitting it in half, and scooping out the seeds. Place one half, cut side down in a microwave safe dish with a little water. Using a fork, pierce the spaghetti squash with a bunch holes. Depending on your microwave, cook on high for 7-10 minutes. The squash will be very hot, wait until it cools before handling or use a dish towel to hold. Using a fork, start to scrape the squash and you will get spaghetti like strands.

Step 4: Stir the pesto in with the spaghetti squash.

Step 5: Top it off with some sliced tomatoes and some crusty bread if you have it. Enjoy!