Pesto

Fresh Pesto.  There is nothing quite like it.  I grew up eating it, and for a time I think it was the only green food that I would eat.  With a garden full of basil that grows year-round (thank you beautiful Honduras weather!) we make a big batch of pesto every few weeks, and eat it with everything!  Try it, you will be hooked.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of freshly picked basil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup of toasted pinenuts
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• 2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Add the fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper to the food processor or blender.
2.  Pulse until everything is finely chopped.
3.  Slowly add the olive oil, until the pesto is combined.
4.  With the food processor turned off, fold the parmesan cheese into the pesto with a spoon.

You can store any unused pesto in the freezer in an airtight container for a few months.  For perfect single serving sizes, try freezing the pesto in ice cube trays (or baby food trays!) then putting all of the cubes in a ziplock bag.  Take out a cube and defrost it a few minutes before using it.  Although my personal favorite is pesto on pasta, it can be used on anything…pasta, pizza, sandwiches, omelettes, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc.

You might have just found the first green food that your kids will gladly eat!