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What a ridiculously large day it was in Australian politics today. One Prime Minister out, another one in. Whilst I am quite sceptical of the method used, we can now say that Australia has its first female Prime Minister.
I had all intentions of running after work this evening, but I got too distracted by the days events and time got away from me. Or perhaps I was just hungry and wanted to start making tonight's dinner...
The Mystery Box did not fail to inspire this evening...
Basil!
Did you know? Basil, while synonymous with Italian cooking, is thought to have originated in India and Persia. It is not only rich in fragrance and flavour, but also in vitamin A, magnesium and potassium. It is packed with flavonoids and beta-carotine, which can help protect against radical damage and inhibit growth of infectious bacteria.
And here I was just thinking it makes for a great pizza topper ;)
To properly honour what is one of my all time favourite herbs, a basil pesto was a must.
I recently picked up this gluten free risoni, and figured it would work wonderfully with the pesto. Veggie-fied of course, to make a healthy but hearty risoni with basil pesto and vegetables.
First, the pesto. So simple in creation yet oh so complex in flavour.
In the food processor went fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pepitas (I was out of pine nuts) and parmesan cheese.
Processed until smooth…
Isn’t the colour just delightful???
Meanwhile I sautéed some zucchini and spinach until soft.
Then it was simply a matter of combining it all together: risoni, vegetables and the pesto.
Topped with pan fried tofu for protein.
Oh pesto - how you made my night (and my tummy) happy.
Not to mention a little of this tasty organic chocolate for dessert…
Chocolate and almonds really are a winning combination….
Basil Pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Risoni with basil pesto and vegetables (GF)
- 200g risoni (GF)
- 2 zucchinis, chopped
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 3 tbs basil pesto
- Cook pasta according to packet directions.
- Meanwhile, sauté zucchini and spinach in a little olive oil until soft.
- Combine the pasta, vegetables and pesto - and serve.
What about you? What is your favourite way to use pesto?
Happy baking :)
Wow! What a delicious dish!!!
ReplyDeleteI reckon a basil filled anything would be good...ok maybe not anything. You know what it would be good with? Polenta!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures look fantastic! That pesto sounds amazing. I love pesto pizza:)
ReplyDeletePesto + gnocchi = love!
ReplyDeleteYour pesto looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteBasil is definitely my favorite herb! It is so fragrant and tasty. And I love pesto...and store-bought pesto is never quite the same as homemade. If only I had a food processor!
I love basil! It's a must in my tomato sauce!
ReplyDeleteIs that chocolate Vivani? (I shall be saddened if I've got that wrong. I shall lose my Chocolate Cred.) I'm actually not a fan of basil because I'm not big on pine nuts... so your pepita one sounds fabulous! And I've used that risoni myself :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, hurrah for our first female PM! Though I'll be more "hurrah" about it if she gets re-elected by the people, I must admit...
Yum, now that we finally have a food processor I need to make more pesto and dips.
ReplyDeleteVery topsy turvy day yesterday. We ended up with our first female PM in similar circumstances, but everyone knows Helen Clark (who was leader at the next election, when Labour beat National) was REALLY the first female... :)
Looks amazing and reminds me I need to check and see if my new basil plants are coming up. I planted them in what has become the shadow of the asparagus and I'm not sure that was a good idea.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks great! especially the chocolate :)
ReplyDeleteI JUST topped a pizza with some fresh basil, since I have a bunch left over maybe I should try my hand at making pesto!
i love pesto potatoes the best!
ReplyDeletei like both dried and fresh basil. the dried basil goes really well on my baked sweet potatoes :P
mmmmm i love chocolate with walnuts snuggled inside it <3
xoxo
Ohh wow, this looks so wonderful. I truly believe you can NEVER go wrong with basil!!
ReplyDeleteI love pesto so much I can (and do) eat it with a spoon... but if I had to pick a favorite way to eat it, probably with gnocchi. But Margharita pizza is a close second :).
ReplyDelete@ Hannah - why yes - it is Vivani! I just discovered it and oh my its delicious!
ReplyDeleteYummmm, pesto. I wish my plant would grow as well as yours seems to!
ReplyDeleteI love pesto on pizzas and sandwiches! The color of your pesto is so lovely.
ReplyDeleteNice idea. I have a crapload of basil in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteyour basil looks gorgeous - you have reminded me that I should try pesto in mashed potato again soon - love the fried tofu on top of your pasta - sounds so satisfying
ReplyDeleteI think homemade pesto is the definition of summer - delish!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so delicious! My basil plant is thriving-I'll have to make some soon!
ReplyDelete