Make Healthy Meals

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts on a tray and roast for4-5 minutes. Remove and cool.

Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts in blender or food processor. Add in oil slowly as you mix.

Editor’s Note

Do not blend at too high a speed, or the basil will be broken down into too small of pieces, and the flavor will be poor. I find a food processor works better than a blender, if you have a choice.

I freeze my excess pesto in an ice cube tray. Once it’s frozen I put the cubes in a plastic bag. This allows me to defrost only what I need for a particular recipe.

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