Trying to get the kids (or sometimes a finicky spouse) to eat anything but pizza, hot dogs, and French fries can be a challenge for many family cooks. But don’t lose hope. Try introducing new flavors and healthy foods in small increments, such as homemade pesto (see recipe below). Not only is it easy to prepare, but there are also many great ways to serve it, including using it to:
- replace red sauce in pizza
- serve over potatoes or as a dip for French fries
- slather on a burger
- make garlic bread or a bread dip
- pour overcooked steak or chicken
- drizzle over fried or hardboiled eggs
- serve over pasta
- brush on grilled cheese
- replace mayo in potato salad
- drizzle on popcorn
- use as a soup topping
- add oil and vinegar to create a salad dressing
- Use as a veggie dip
- Mix with softened butter
- Toss with cooked shrimp or serve with Shrimp Cocktail
Easy breezy homemade Basil and Parsley Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves (washed)
1/8 cup fresh parsley (washed)
2 large cloves garlic (peeled)
3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup good quality olive oil (can add a tad extra if too thick)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Combine the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Pulse to chop. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil slowly to emulsify into specks. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stores up to five days in the refrigerator.
Fun facts:
Basil, treasured for its aroma, is thought to be native to India. The herb is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including lutein, Vitamin-A, zeaxanthin, beta carotene, and cryptoxanthin. Per nutrition-and-you.com, these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.