By MACROS | Published on December 4, 2017
Loaded with protein and powerful recovery agents, pesto is a nutritional powerhouse that shouldn’t be relegated to the confines of a pasta sauce.
This recipe provides you with the ingredients for a classic pesto, but if you’re looking to bulk it out you can add kale or spinach to add more weight.
How to make pesto
You’ll need
- 3-4 cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- â…“ cup pine nuts
- â…“ cup cashew nuts
- â…“ cup walnuts
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Method
Add all the ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth.
How do you store homemade pesto?
The ingredients will oxidize, so make it air tight and drizzle with olive oil for short term storage. If you’re looking to make it last long term, add the pesto to large ice cube trays and freeze.
– RELATED: Pesto Pasta With Mixed Cherry Tomatoes Recipe –
What are the benefits?
- Mop up exercise-related free radical damage
- Lower cholesterol
- Improve blood pressure
- Provide an ace protein source
- Improve heart health
- Decrease inflammation
- Heighten cardiovascular health
How should you eat it?
- Mix generously into a salad
- Spread thickly on top of cooked chicken breasts, or any lean meat
- Add to any sandwich topped with a lean protein
- Add 2-3 tablespoons to home-made meatballs
- Boil potatoes and toss with generous helpings of pesto
- Fry bacon in a skillet, then add peas, rice and pesto
- Top a pizza base with pesto instead of tomato paste
- Coat over freshly steamed mixed vegetables
- Mix with lemon juice and coat fish fillets
- Add two large tablespoons to a pumpkin soup
