Pesto with Roasted Pine Nuts
Recipe by Danielle Lavallee
This pesto is brimming with healthy unsaturated fat sources, which are terrific for brain and heart health. It packs a serious nutritional punch while still tasting rich and indulgent.
Special Equipment Needed: Food Processor
Ingredients:
½ cup raw walnuts
1 clove of peeled garlic (or more)
Approximately 4 cups of fresh basil (2 large 2 oz packages), woody stems removed
1 large handful of fresh spinach (or more)
1 large ripe avocado, or two small avocados
Juice of 2 large lemons (or more)
1 tsp of salt
1/4 raw pine nuts (or more)
Instructions:
Place walnuts and the garlic clove into the bowl of a food processor and mince until finely chopped.
Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
Adjust your seasonings to taste.
***Important – Do not cook this pesto! The flavor and color are bright and sunny in their raw form. When cooked, the pesto becomes less vibrant both in taste and appearance.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain cooked pasta and place in a serving bowl (do not put it back in the pasta pot). Add your pesto sauce and stir to combine. If you mix the pasta and pesto in a hot cooking pot, the sauce will cook and become less bright and fresh.
Top with roasted pine nuts. To roast, simply place raw pine nuts in a non-stick pan over medium heat and roast until browned and toasty. Watch them continually, as they burn easily.
Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. Best when used immediately.
Nutritional Benefits:
Walnuts - High in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, antioxidants, and plant-fiber. Promote gut health, may reduce cancer risk, great for cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, and depression. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32093220/
Spinach - Great source of antioxidants, folic acid, calcium, and iron. Great for eye health, may help lower blood pressure, reduce systemic inflammation, reduce cancer risk, improve cognitive health, and promote healthy body weight. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27353735/
Avocado - High in potassium, magnesium, fiber, and multiple vitamins. Contains both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are great for brain and heart health. May support healthy aging and weight maintenance. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23638933/
Garlic - High in manganeses, B vitamins, selenium, vitamin C, and fiber. Reduces blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, increases gut microbe diversity, lowers cholesterol, and helps prevent against viral infection. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32010325/
Lemon Juice - High in vitamin C and citric acid, which helps to prevent kidney stones and improves absorption of iron from other foods, aiding in the prevention of anemia. Scavenges free radicals, improves glucose sensitivity, improves cardiovascular health, reduces cancer risk. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30962863/
Pine nuts - High in Pinolenic acid, which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is found exclusively in pine nuts. Pinolenic acid helps to lower LDL cholesterol, reduce oxidative stress, and stabilize glucose levels. The high omega-3 fatty acid content in pine nuts is protective for brain and heart health. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32196705/
Eating this plant based pesto will make you healthier with every bite. If you use a whole-grain pasta, you will also be adding much needed fiber to improve your microbiome. Who knew something so delicious could be so good for you?
Yay, plants!
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