Healthy food can taste good and be a delight to the senses, take for instance pesto. I love pesto and a simple pesto is full of flavor and aroma and can be used in a multitude of dishes. Pesto is quick and easy to make and is friendly with most diet plans. Even if you are not a good cook my quick pesto can make you shine like a star. Try this pesto in your new year, or for any special gathering and let the flavor and aroma of sweet basil wake up your taste buds.

Add this pesto to riced cauliflower for a keto friendly diet or if trying a diet with more animal-based protein like the Atkins diet then marinate chicken breasts before grilling. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays to use later.

Yield: 1 cup Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, better quality oil has better flavor
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper, if you would like a little more kick add a few red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, fresh is best

Directions

Using a knife, chop the basil, spinach, walnuts and garlic. Put them in a food processor. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until will chopped but not smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.