There are SO MANY things you can create with pesto… which is why I think it’s important to have a good recipe to turn to. It’s a quick fix for a pasta dish or is even good on toast. Put it on chicken, fish or potatoes. The combinations are endless. Later on in the week I’ll be sharing a couple of my own recipes I use the pesto in. The first is a shrimp and scallop linguini. The base for the linguini is a white wine butter cream sauce. I added a heaping spoonful (or two) of the pesto to the pasta, and it’s now my new favorite pasta recipe! There’s something about all the fresh ingredients in the pesto that added layers upon layers of flavor to a dish. The second thing I made with my homemade pesto… is a naan bread breakfast pizza. I spread a thick layer of pesto on the bottom, topped with mozzarella cheese and toasted it in the oven till bubbly. I topped with fresh and juicy tomatoes, a fried egg and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The pesto is always the star of any dish you add it to. It’s so special being homemade and not store-bought. It’s so bright and fresh compared to a can from the grocery store. Plus it only takes 5 minutes to blend up… so why not make it??

TIP: If you don’t like walnuts/ would rather use a different but for the base… pine nuts will work wonderfully.

I’d love to hear how you used my homemade spinach and basil walnut pesto…Leave me a comment below with all your pesto inspiration!

SPINACH & BASIL WALNUT PESTO

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Makes: 3/4-1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 heaping handfuls fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place everything (except olive oil) in a food processor. Blend on high until the mixture is a smooth paste.
2. While the pesto is blending, slowly pour (will take about 15 seconds) in the olive oil. *The olive oil will blend into the mixture better when poured slowly.*
3. Remove from the food processor and place in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 3-4 months.
4. If using right away, ignore the last step.