Mmmm....pesto

As I've mentioned before, one of my goals for the year is to eat healthier, fresher and less processed food.  In that direction, one of my very favorite things to make is pesto.  It's super easy to make, so I thought I would share.  We use it on homemade pizza, mixed into turkey burgers, and obviously, with a variety of pasta dishes.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pine nuts
2-3 cloves of garlic
4 cups fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.  Process the pine nuts and garlic in the food processor.
2.  Add basil leaves, olive oil, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper.  Blend well.
3.  Add parmesan, blend and enjoy!

Check my 1980s food
processor

This recipe is originally from Cooking Light.  I've adapted in so far as I hardly measure any of the ingredients anymore and it only takes a sec to throw together, so I make it about once a week.  This is also the impetus behind the basil plant that we planted last year but which we probably should have waited to plant until we were going into spring, not winter.  Will be replanting soon.







In other news, I'm experiencing a tweaky knee.  It's my right one, rather in the front, in between my knee cap and IT band.  It hurts when I run, or go up and down stairs.  It twinges if I turn my leg at odd angles.  I'm not sure what this is, as I don't generally experience knee problems.  Runners knee?  Meniscus issues?  Either way, I'm hoping it subsides before Saturday's Gate River Run.  I'm resting and icing it.  I ran on it Saturday for a 5 mile interval run, and it was letting me know it wasn't happy.  Ice, ice, baby.