Yesterday I had a Skype date with my friend who lives in Luxembourg. She just got back from a trip to Italy, and we were talking about the delicious pasta meals her Mother makes. One of my favorite easy pasta dinners has to be Pesto. My beautiful Basil plant called my name. I made Pesto quite frequently when my husband used to visit me in Canada. I was working full-time so spending 15 minutes making pasta was too easy! I don’t use pine nuts in my pesto because he is allergic. If you love pine nuts, I’m sure they would be a delicious addition to this recipe. Nutritional yeast works really well to replace the Parmesan cheese because it adds a nutty/cheesy flavor.
Vegan (nut-free) Pesto
3 cloves garlic, diced
4-5 tbs olive oil
2 tbs nutritional yeast
lots of basil (about 10 big leaves)
Dice the garlic. Stack basil leaves on top of one another. Roll them up tightly, then cut from tip to stem (or stem to tip!). Place garlic, olive oil, basil, and nutritional yeast into a food processor. Blend well. Pour over cooked pasta and mix well. Done!
This recipe makes enough pesto for 2-4 people. It is 150 calories and 3.2 g protein per serving.
The vegetables are roasted Zucchini and Mushrooms. Combine a bit of olive oil, salt, black pepper, and oregano in a small dish. Brush a small amount over the veggies. Place them on a cookie tray and bake at 350 F for about 5 minutes (too much longer and the Zucchini will get mushy!)
enjoy x
