Arugula-Basil-Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Today's Pesto Day!
Put these ingredients, in their group, into your blender jar and pulse just enough to blend each, starting with the first. Then add the greens and pulse until incorporated. Last add the cheese and pulse until everything's chopped and combined the way you'd like. Most people prefer doing this in a food processor which works great, but somehow I'd rather pulse all this in my blender. However, this took a lot of jar scraping to totally combine. . .Use whichever works best for you.

6oz. single source EVOO
2 big garlic cloves - chopped
zest + juice of a lemon
½T salt, pepper, garlic Kinder's Blend
½c± organic sprouted pumpkin seeds

68g - 2.4oz arugula
32g - 1.15oz. basil 
2½oz. total - of five microgreens:
- pea shoots, radish, kale,
- red cabbage and basil

3oz. grated Parmesan-Romano cheese

I wasn't planning this, but the photo below shows my late breakfast - early lunch when, after blending, I discovered it wouldn't all fit in my 16oz. container. This recipe made about 20oz. In addition to fresh basil, you can use just about any greens. In the past I've used curly as well as flat leaf Italian parsley, celery greens, spinach even some beautiful carrot tops one time! I have some beautiful chard right now, but decided I might steam that to go with salmon soon.

Now a word about pasta. . .
True Italian pasta is far healthier than our typical American variety. I've been ordering it online now since in Europe they don't use GMO wheat, no preservatives and their milling process for the wheat includes more of the healthy parts of the whole grain.


I cook my pasta using the resistant starch method. If you need pasta right away you can still accomplish this by cooking to al denté stage, draining, then rinsing and soaking a few minutes in icy cold water. Then drain, combine with the sauce and reheat. Or reheat the pasta only and add the sauce.

It's SO worth the extra steps to create a much healthier version of pasta! Happy Cooking! . .😃. .Lin

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