Vegan Courgette Summer Pesto

After realising I had one too many courgettes in my fridge, I decided to do some experimenting. Why wouldn't courgette taste great in pesto? This recipe is cheese free and therefore vegan, and has a moist nutty texture, even though it contains very little oil. Healthy healthy! Perfect swirled through pasta or rice, or used as a dip or spread.

Ingredients (serves 2)

- 1/2 a courgette

- 1 small clove of garlic, crushed

- fresh or frozen basil from a 31g bag, stalks removed and discarded

- 20 almonds

- 4 cherry or small fresh tomatoes

- 2 tbsp sunflower oil, or any

- salt and pepper

1. Start by turning the oven to 200°c to bake the courgette. Slice the courgette and drizzle with the sunflower oil. Season well and bake for 10-15 minutes until soft and golden. 

2. Blitz the almonds in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. *Some bigger crumbs will give the sauce some texture*. 

3. Add the cooked courgette slices with their oil, crushed garlic, tomatoes, and basil to the mixer with the almonds. Mix for a few minutes until smooth. 

YUM!

Sardinia to Suffolk - the best alternative pesto

Whilst staying with some Italian friends in Sardinia 4 years ago, I was taught how to make this delicious Sardinian Pesto. I couldn't remember the recipe exactly so had to wing it a little. It's a definite winner! Dip, smother and cover...this pesto is so versitile.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 16g basil

- 16g spinach

- 220g tomatoes

- 50g almonds

- juice of 1/2 a lemon

- cloves of one garlic

- 3tbsp olive oil

- 20g parmesan, grated

- 20g cheddar, grated

1. Blend everything together apart from the cheese for 5 seconds, scrape down the sides with a spatular, then add the cheese and blend for another 10 seconds. 

Serve stirred into pasta, smothered on salmon, or spread onto toast.

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Coriander, Date and Almond Pesto

The thing I love about making pesto is that you can just whack everything in, whizz it up, and it's ready. No chopping or prepping necessary.

Ingredients (makes 2 ramekins)

- 4 tbsp whizzed up coriander

- 2 dates, pitted

- 1 handful of almonds

- 30g parmesan cheese, grated

- 1 clove of garlic

- 2 cherry tomatoes

- juice of half a lemon

- 5-8 tbsp olive oil

- salt and pepper

1. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a food processor. 

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Easy Minestrone Soup with Homemade Spinach and Basil Pesto

This soup is great because most of the ingredients come from a tin, and the pasta makes it a filling meal.

Ingredients for the Homemade Pesto - fills one ramekin

21g basil leaves

40g almonds

15 g spinach leaves (one handful)

1 cloves of garlic

40g good quality olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

50g cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

1. Start by grinding the almonds with a hand blender (or in a food processor) and then add the basil, spinach, garlic, oil and lemon juice. 

2. Finally mix in the grated cheese and season well. 

Ingredients for the Soup - serves 8

- 3 tins of chopped tomatoes (1200g) and 2 tins filled with boiling water

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 1 chicken stock cube

- 1 onion, chopped 

- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed

- 2 sticks of celery, chopped

- 2 mini peppers, chopped (or half a pepper, chopped)

- 3 handfuls of spinach pasta or plain pasta, broken into small pieces

- 30g spaghetti, broken into small bits

- 1 tsp of sugar

- 1 tbsp homemade pesto (or jarred pesto)

- 6 basil leaves, chopped

- 1 pinch of chilli flakes (or more to taste) 

- 165g tinned sweetcorn (or frozen sweetcorn), drained 

- 2 large handfuls of frozen peas

- 400g tin of drained and washed cannellini beans (or mixed beans)

1. Start by frying the onion and garlic in a large saucepan with a little vegetable oil. After a few minutes add the tinned tomatoes, water and stock cubes. 

2. Bring the tomatoes to the boil and then put in the pasta, celery, peppers, sugar, pesto, basil and chilli flakes. Cook this for 6 minutes on a medium heat.

3. Finally pour in the sweetcorn, peas and beans. Simmer the soup on a low heat with a lid on for a further 5 minutes. All done!

Spoon some pesto on top of the soup to serve.

http://instagram.com/p/aJU8J8ukt9/

Coriander, Mint and Almond Pesto

This recipe also tastes great without cheese and therefore can be vegan and dairy free.

Ingredients (fills one ramekin dish)

30g almonds

30g chopped coriander

1 clove of garlic

2g mint leaves

2 slice of chilli

12g cheddar cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar 

1. Start by blending the almonds and then add everything else and blend thoroughly.