Italian Recipe: Basil-Lemon Pesto

Traditional pesto, the basil-infused sauce that originates from Italy's Ligurian coast, is always delicious. The flavor is so full and intense, it's hard to imagine a variation on it.

If you're prone to kitchen experiments, however, you'll want to try this lighter, lemony twist. Pair it with good pasta, or layer it onto grilled chicken or fish and enjoy! 

Basil-Lemon Pesto

(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:1. Toast pine nuts on a baking sheet at 350 °F in the oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. In a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, basil, parsley, cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse until ground to a fine paste, about 1 minute.

3. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper. 

Gluten-Free & Low Carb Pasta Alternative: Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Pesto

It may seem as though nothing could ever replace the goodness that is pasta, but this spaghetti squash comes pretty close! Okay, so maybe it doesn’t taste the same as our beloved pasta, but this meal does taste delightfully fresh and you should all try it. Kids will have a blast tearing into these squashes—transforming squash into pasta-like strands is fun for anyone—and adding fresh pesto is the cherry on top of this healthy and tasty meal!

Pesto Spaghetti Squash

(Serves 4) 

Ingredients 

1 large spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for roasting

1 large bunch basil leaves, washed and dried

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

grated mozzarella, to taste

Directions 

1. Preaheat oven to 400º F.
2. Take two halves of squash and place on a baking tray, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender.
3. Place your basil and garlic in food processor and pulse, slowly pouring in olive oil. Add in half of pine nuts and continue to pulse until smooth.
4. Remove squash from oven and let cool for several minutes. Drain if liquid has accumulated in hollow centers.
5. Using a fork, scrape out the insides of the squash into “spaghetti” and set aside.
6. Pour pesto sauce and parmesan onto spaghetti squash, toss, garnish with mozzarella and serve hot.