The Best-o Pesto
Updated: Nov 10, 2020
The magic behind the magical Herb… Basil With the amazing health benefits & a Recipe to accompany
This love with me and this beloved sauce goes back to my childhood. My love started with my grandpa Babe. Who I ADORED.
He had a row of basil on the side of his house that he and my grandmother Adel lived in for as long as I could remember. When the basil was ripe he would make huge batches of Pesto in the summer. He gave it as gifts to his friends and kept his trio of granddaughters who spent the days playing together full with happy tummies. Everyone was wild about his Pesto.
The smell of Basil & taste brings back sweet memories of my childhood and my grandpa.
When I started growing herbs & veggies myself naturally I was inclined to favor basil.
The Four Key Basil Families grown in my garden
So the research went into learning how to keep this plant alive. During this time I realized there is not just the common Sweet Basil (Ocimum Basilicum) that most common for Italian Food. But other types of basil (which we grew all four types to experiment Thai basil, lemon basil and holy basil which all have a sweeter flavor profile so are great with poultry or in Asian cuisine.)
I can go on forever about the types of basil but Today, I will focus on sweet basil, which you can find fresh in almost any grocery store; is also fairly easy to grow at home in a windowsill, porch container or garden.
Aside from being easily grown has a number of amazing health benefits
Lets dive into them below:
The lovely basil plants from our home garden kept us happy and healthy this summer.
antioxidant: fights free radical damage, slows the aging process, and fights disease
anti-inflammatory: fights inflammation, which is the root cause behind most diseases
cancer-fighter: contains chemicals that can help to fight cancer
immune support: protects against harmful bacteria growth
anti-stress: helps the body cope with stress; lifting spirit and mood
alkalizer: alkalizes the body and restores proper pH level
digestive aid: promotes healthy gut flora, reduces bloating & water retention
mood boost: fights depression by stimulating neurotransmitters
Breathing Aide: Transforms phlegm, stops wheezing: Bronchitis, pertussis, cold phlegm, lung infections
But the best part about Basil is its amazing Taste
Here is my favorite Basil Recipe… I call it the Best-o Pesto:
And its super easy to make 1 serving:
12 -fresh basil leaves
2 -tablespoons Pine Nuts
2 -tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 -teaspoon coarse salt
2 -cloves of garlic
Place everything in the food processor
Process to a grainy paste.
Stir the sauce through cooked pasta. Or my favorite healthy and no carb combination: Zoodles (zucchini noodles)
ENJOY!
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