I've been on a sort of healthy movement ever since i was gearing up my body for pregnancy, minimizing my meat and meat byproduct intake. I am by no means a vegan or vegetarian, but when i think about how destructive we are to the earth by our greed for using and consuming, i wish i didn't have to participate in it. How cliche this is but I want to minimize the impact i make on the planet so that my daughter can live a long and happy life. Animal farming contributes to almost 15% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation (ie. forests are cut down to make room for more farms, hence less trees to combat those CO2 emissions = a vicious cycle). So i'm still gonna eat quality meat when it's really really delicious, but when there are alternatives that don't force you to compromise on taste, I really don't see why not. The only problem is that chewing veg all day is so exhausting. I seriously may have underdeveloped jaw muscles because i have terrible recollections of little kid anxiety related to chewing steak and my typical asian dad beating my ass for eating so slow, or maybe it's just the fact that fast foods have adapted us to soft and easy things like chicken nuggets and fish fingers. Crunch is supposed to come from deep frying, not fresh produce, Mom. So anyways, i have found the perfect solution to this not so much problem but preference - the high speed blender. Invest in a really good one and you will never have to chew a vegetable again!
Recipe
1. Blend together:
1 cup basil (packed)
1.5 cups spinach (packed)
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pinenuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan
extra virgin olive oil (add enough to make the sauce smooth)
salt and pepper to taste
2. Toss with pasta, DONE! Congratulations you have used almost 2 cups of veg in A SAUCE in the time it took to cook the noodles.
Tips:
If you like the pesto chunky like me (ie. the photo above), you could probably do with half cup of EVOO. Add more to make it smoother. This won't look like store bought pesto because its so thick and lighter in color due to all the spinach. If you want it to mimic store bought pesto, use less veg and more oil.
This recipe makes enough for 1 whole package of pasta, ie. 4 servings, or if you're a monster like me, 2-3.
Save leftover pesto in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Use leftover pesto as a toast spread, as salad dressing (if you really like chewing), or in mashed potatoes.
I recommend using organic veggies and/or soaking the veg in acidic water or veggie wash before using to remove all pesticides.