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Health & Fitness

Myplate2yours: Fresh Basil Pesto

Registered Dietitian with 4 active kids shares family friendly recipes and nutrition tips. www.myplate2yours.com

My mother has shared her abundance of fresh basil with me. I’m so happy!  Her summer basil plants always do better than mine.  I’m just glad she knows that I LOVE fresh basil.  I use it for salads and sandwiches but I will also make as much pesto as I can from her healthy plants.  I use pesto as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, on pasta, in dips and in a new recipe, Pesto Stuffed Baked Pork Chops, that I’ll share with you later this week.

My pesto recipe is below.  If you don’t have enough basil to pack 2 full cups, you can pack 1 cup of basil and 1 cup of fresh baby spinach.  It’s delicious either way!

Fresh Basil Pesto (makes 1 cup)

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2 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)

1/2 cup pine nuts

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1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

1/4 cup EVOO

Blend first 4 ingredients in a food processor.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Slowly drizzle the olive oil to blend.  Adjust oil amount as needed for proper consistency.  Enjoy!

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