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I love pesto.  Basically anything with basil in it gets a thumbs up from me.  What I never thought about was how versatile pesto is.  Basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, cheese… that was pesto to me.  Oh how I was wrong!   You can change up the pine nuts with walnuts or almonds… change the basil to thyme… throw in red pepper flakes… or even sun-dried tomatoes!

A little bit of this particular pesto goes a long way.  I think I actually made too much.  Because I have so much left over, I’m putting on my chicken, crackers with cheese, on my sandwiches, as a dip for my raw vegetables, and anything else that I can think of.

I’ve cut the recipe in half.  The changes are reflected in the recipe below.

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Red Pesto

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Serves 4

Ingredients:

12 plump, chewy sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 ounces)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
a couple big pinches of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
handful of fresh basil
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, lightly toasted
zest of half a lemon

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients in your food processor until it reaches a crumbled texture.  If you are using the pesto with pasta, add 1/2 cup of the pasta water with 2/3 of the pesto sauce and then add the rest of the pesto to the mixture.  If not, use a small amount of hot water to thin it out.  I suggest gradually adding the water so you can get the consistency that you prefer.

Today was a very special day for me because I started dinner before 5pm.  My new summer work schedule allows me to get home before 4 every day.  Don’t you just love that?!  I know that I do.   I finished cooking and it was barely 5 o’clock!!!  I’m normally still at work for another hour or so.  Well, not anymore.

As always, this meal took only 15 minutes or so.  And although it’s extraordinarily healthy, it is very delicious.  It was so good, in fact, that I didn’t even add cheese.  I always add cheese to my pasta.   But don’t worry, you can add cheese if you like )

Linguine with Sundried Tomatoes

Source: Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook, p. 277

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh green beans or edamame (or a mix of both)
1 lb. whole wheat linguine
6 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup sundried tomatoes, not in oil, chopped
1/2 low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

Flash cook peas and/or edamame until just tender but still firm.  Drain and set aside.

Cook pasta al dente.  Drain.

In a large skillet, saute garlic and shallots in olive oil.  Add sundried tomatoes, peas, and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately add drained pasta to the skillet.  Toss lightly until sauce and vegetables cover the linguine.

Add freshly ground black pepper and sea salt and garnish with parsley.