Pesto Pasta – Basil or Kale

Ingredients for the pesto 

• Pine Nuts 70 g
• Spinach 2 big handfuls
• Fresh Basil OR Kale 1 big handful
• Garlic Cloves 2 whole
• Lemon juice and zest (unwaxed) 1
• Hemp Seed Oil 100ml ish (use your eye to gauge consistency when mixing to a thick paste).
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Ingredients for the pasta

• Pasta any ( I use wholegrain) 350 g
• Frozen Peas 100 g
• Natural Yogurt 1-2 tbsp
• 1 large green or yellow Courgette sliced thinly.
• 1 Small knob of butter and equal amount of rape seed oil for stir frying)
• Asparagus (chopped) 200g

Sprinkle and serve

• Chilli, Garlic or EV hemp seed oil 1 tbsp
• Pumpkin Seeds lightly toasted (optional) 3 pinches
• Grated parmesan or whatever you have

Method

1. Roast the pine nuts in a hot pan until toasted. Allow the nuts to cool down completely.
2. Ideally use a blender, place the nuts and all of the pesto ingredients until very small then start trickling in the hemp seed oil while the motor is going to help combine.
3. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
4. Boil a large pan of water and cook your pasta.
5. Prepare the vegetables in a separate pan, stir-fry the courgette and asparagus for 2 minutes. Boil the peas for 2 minutes or add to the pasta.
6. Drain your pasta and toss it in the pesto, yogurt and mix the veggies in and serve.
7. For the topping, scatter parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds, basil leaves and a slice of lemonthen a drizzle of either garlic or Chilli hemp oil.   Walla, enjoy!