For me, there is something luxurious about a homemade pesto.  Maybe it’s the fresh basil, quality olive oil and decadent nuts…

I started making my own pesto a few years ago for my kids.  Like most kids mine too love pasta so, instead of the usual tomato sauce I decided to experiment with a homemade pesto.  It was an instant hit!  My kids liked it a little too much, as they gave up on tomato sauce, and refused to eat the store bought pesto.  So, I planted my first herb garden last year, we had huge success with Basil. We enjoyed fresh basil all summer long, and I froze the rest end of the summer.  Frozen basil, thawed in the fridge overnight still produces a delicious pesto.

Now, you might be wondering…why walnuts over pine nuts?  The answer is simple, walnuts are cheeper then pine nuts and I always have them in my pantry.  So, walnuts it is for this recipe. 

We are all about No-Diets here at Science and Strength and there is always a place for pasta at our table – although not a daily occurrence.  Adding this healthy, delicious, easy-to-make, homemade sauce on top of a whole-grain / whole-wheat pasta fits right into our The No-Diet Book rules.  You can also add this pesto on top of lean meats like chicken or even steak – it hold it’s own over any bottled ketchup, BBQ sauce or the like. 

Lets explore a little bit of science behind this food build for strength.

Basil

So, as I am doing my research on basil, I read it’s native to India.  This is a surprise as I never heard of this herb until I arrived in Canada.  I also don’t recall any indian recipes using basil…the reason being it is used in Ayurvedic medicine, interesting.  Back to our herb, I love the smell, taste and complexity it adds to foods.  It may have it’s origins in India but has found it’s way into many cuisines like Italian, Thai and Vietnamese. 

Basil, like most plants provides an abundance of natural bioactive compounds which have many proven health-promoting properties like antioxidant, antibacterial, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and so on.  Basil is also rich in Vit A, Vit K, Vit C, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.  The best thing about this recipe is, it’s raw and likelihood of all the superfood benefits still attached as you enjoy this delicious recipe.

Walnuts

We are a little nuts when it comes to walnuts at our house.  We add them to our morning porridge, baked goods and smoothies on the go.  Walnuts are a superfood and a little goes a long way.  The calories in walnuts are mostly from fat but don’t let this fact close your mind to this super-fat. They are a nutrient-dense food with protein and essential fatty acids.  The benefits of walnuts include cardiovascular health by lowering LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, reducing inflammation and cutting down on arterial plaque.  Like basil above, they also have antioxidant properties – they prevent damage to our cells from free radicals.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that have been linked to lowering our LDL-Cholesterol levels.  Minimally processed Extra Virgin Olive Oil is high in phenolic antioxidants like basil (as mentioned earlier).  The bottom like, oil is a popular component of most diets and no other oil comes close to the benefits of EVOO. 

With the three superfoods Basil, Walnuts, EVOO combined with garlic this is a staple recipe at our house.

Basil Walnut Pesto

Recipe makes: 1.5 cups

Serving Size: 2 tbsp

Nutrition facts: 200 Cal, 5g Pro, 1g Carb, 23g Fat, 1g Fiber

3 cups Fresh, sweet Italian Basil Leaves – tightly packed

3/4 cup good quality olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese – I buy a small block and grate my own as needed

3/4 cup walnuts – halves or pieces work well here

5 cloves garlic

1 tsp Salt (to taste)

2 tsp Black Pepper (to taste)

Add the above ingredients to a food processor or blender. 

Blend, scrape sides often, add more olive oil if needed.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Blend to the desire texture – we prefer a little crunch from the nuts.  I don’t make the pesto too runny with EVOO as you can add it later when serving, if needed.

Leftover Pesto – store in an air tight container in the fridge for a week or two.  You can also freeze individual portions for use later.  Thaw out the pesto overnight in the fridge before use.

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