Classic Basil Pesto

Wild Country Organics (wildco.co.uk) has been selling really nice basil at my local farmers market in the last weeks. Pesto is always very popular in my family and we have been making it twice a week for about a month now!

 

I used some leftovers of Biona spelt penne biona.co.uk. This penne is wholegrain and made from spelt flour which means it contains more vitamins, fibre and proteins than wheat pasta. Spelt is an excellent source of vitamin B2, manganese, niacin, thiamin, and copper. As we get older we need to make sure we consume nutrient-dense food. For example manganese is very important for our bone density which slowly diminishes with age. Manganese also helps with collagen production. Collagen is very important in the rejuvenation process as we slowly loose our own ability to produce it as we age. This effects joints and skin. It is therefore important to consume food rich in manganese daily.

 

Basil is so gentle, so beautifully fragrant and this particular one ended up being slightly sweet. Delicious!  This little green plant is quite rich in phytonutrients and vitamins. It has some anti-inflammatory properties (inflammation is one of our worst enemies when it comes to aging). It is rich in Vitamin A which helps fight free radicals.

 

 

 

Olive oil is one of those special things that every diet talks about. The latest advise says that we should consume a couple of tablespoon a day for good heart health.

Garlic is a superhero in all diets. A tiny little stinky superhero that seems to be able to save you from almost any trouble. It kicks viruses and bacteria in the behind and I read about some research regarding garlic being able to prevent dementia!

Using unrefined sea salt in your dishes is not only good to enhance the taste of the food but can also contribute to the nutritional aspect of the meal - it brings more minerals to the table, such as magnesium, which is great to ease muscle aches after a hard workout.

 

 

Parmesan is not only a good source of proteins but also tastes amazing. It is rich in calcium which is important for our bone health. I personally believe in the importance of eating food full of good bacteria which can then establish healthy digestion. Parmesan has an ability to promote the development of Bacillus Bifidus, useful for the maintenance of a healthy digestive system.

Pine nuts, other than containing anti oxidants and magnesium, contain pinolenic acid. Some studies have been done regarding this acid's ability to trigger the release of an appetite-suppressing hormone. There are some companies that sell pine nut oil as part of a weight loss program. Weather this is actually true or not, they are yummy! 

 

 

 

Recipe for a classis pesto:

 

 

100g of basil (I used all of it; just washed it and used leaves, stalks and even the little flowering bits)

100g of pine nuts (I toasted mine; just because I like it that way but it is not necessary)

100g  - 120g of parmesan cheese (this depends on the intensity of the flavor; try to put less and then add some more if you want to taste it more in the pesto)

Half a cup of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

A large pinch of salt

A generous amount of pepper

 

Just blend it all in and you are done in no time........

It should look like this:

 

Add it to your pasta of choice and enjoy.......

 

 

Let me know if you like it just as much as we do!

Em

xxx