amy eats vegetables

Look at all that green! We had an excess of basil so I made a basil vinaigrette and tossed it with arugula. And I adapted Kim Barnouin’s breakfast bake recipe from the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday cookbook to have an Italian flair by using Italian field roast sausage, mozzarella style daiya, and, of course, basil!

i love basil and i grow my own on the porch, but when i was buying other herbs at the hollywood farmers market, i got a free bunch. naturally, i decided to make vegan pesto with my surplus basil.

although pine nuts are traditionally used, i prefer walnuts. i like the taste better, and they are so good for you! antioxidants, protein, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, and omega 3 fatty acids!

you’ll need a food processor or a blender. i prefer the texture in the food processor, but sometimes “chunky pesto” as i call blender-style, can be good.

separate the leaves of a good bunch of basil (3 cups-ish), add 3 or 4 peeled whole garlic cloves and chop in the processor. add 6 tbs of walnuts and chop some more. then add 6 tbs of olive oil and chop one last time. that’s it. so easy!

you can add vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, but i like it as is.

i like to toss it with spinach penne, because with a vegetable pasta, you’re getting slightly more nutrients that the average pasta. good stuff.

last night, i served this with heirloom tomato slices and gardein crispy “chicken” tenders and it was so so yummy!

Vegan pizza from Lenzini’s in North Hollywood. Basil from the garden, lovingly garnished by my sweet boyfriend.