Pesto is a fantastic, easy to make, filling food packed with healthy fats. Don’t be scared of the fat; the olive oil and pine nuts in this recipe provide important nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids.
My basil plant has been going crazy lately, and I’ve been planning out some amazing pesto.
There are a lot of variations of pesto around, but the basic recipe is basil + cheese + nuts + olive oil. (amazing, simple, real food ingredients!)
I toasted 1/4 C of pine nuts in the oven for about 5 minutes (at 350*).
Combine with 2 C of fresh basil, 1 tsp minced garlic and a 1/4 tsp of salt in a food processor.
Add 1/4 C grated parmesan. Once combined add a 1/4 C of olive oil.
Voila! Pesto!
It’s amazing at this point, and you could stop here, but if you’re like me, and you like lots of volume in your food (and you have broccoli in the fridge you have no idea what to do with), add 1/2 C chopped broccoli to the food processor. Feel free to add more olive oil or parmesan, depending on what your tastebuds prefer! 
Serve on top of whole wheat noodles. Delicious!
Broccoli-Pesto!
Ingredients
- 2 C of fresh basil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 C pine nuts
- 1/4 C grated parmesan
- 1/4 C of olive oil
- 1/2 C chopped broccoli
Directions
- In a 350*C oven, toast pine nuts in a small baking dish for 5 minutes
- In a food processor, combine basil, garlic, salt and pine nuts.
- Add grated parmesan. Pulse food processor to combine.
- Add olive oil.
- Add broccoli to the food processor. Pulse to combine. (Optional: add more olive oil or parmesan)
- Serve over whole wheat noodles
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
my sister loves pesto so much. seriously you can put pesto on anything!
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That is some awesome looking pesto, reminds me that I definitely need a food processor!
Have a great day!
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Mmm pesto. I love it on sandwiches or just on toast with soup. I really like the addition of broccoli. I always have a basil plant growing here since it is said to repel mosquitos, but I’m not sure if you have to deal with those pests much in Canada.
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That pesto looks so good!
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I love pesto! I like making it with arugula…it gets a little spicy!
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I like the title! I’m a dork, too though
Your pesto sounds delish!
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I love pesto! And your title made me
!
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Pesto IS the best-o
so good, but I still haven’t tried it with broccoli! and now that our food processor is broken, it will probably be a while.
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Pesto is the best! And it lasts for a super long time in the fridge too. I’ve never added broccoli to mine, but that’s a great idea to stretch it out a bit and add some volume.
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Pesto is one of those things that can taste super good, or well kind of bad . . . but I don’t think you can go wrong when you have your own basil plant
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This looks soooooo delicious. I make a pesto that has spinach in it, which I add to lasagna. So yummy!
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i totally agree, pesto is the BESTO!
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