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Looking for a way to sneak vegetables into your child’s diet? Um. Yes. Of course you are. You are a parent.
Pesto is perfect for incognito vegetables. I sneak a whole cup of raw spinach (plus a cup of raw basil leaves) into this dip. And no-one ever asks whats in it. Its “just pesto”.
There are hundreds of variations to this dip or sauce or whatever you want to call it. It really is a taste as you go kind of food. This is the recipe we use for a basic pesto.
Basil is a strong tasting herb, so I add spinach to subdue the flavor a bit. It works well with younger palettes and the spinach adds an extra iron kick too.
STEP 1. Add your fresh basil, spinach and pine nuts to a food processor.
STEP 2. Whizz it a bit until leaves and pine nuts are roughly chopped. You don’t want your pesto too fine so dont over do the processing.
STEP 3. Add the garlic and Parmesan cheese and give it another quick mix to combine it all together.
STEP 4. Add you oil slowly. I add half the oil then give it a quick pulse, then add the remaining half and pulse again. Don’t overmix as you don’t want your mix to separate.
Clean Eating Spinach and Basil Pesto (Makes 1 cup)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves firmly compacted
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves firmly compacted
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add spinach, basil and pinenuts to the food processor. Whizz until roughly chopped and combined.
- Add cheese and garlic. Mix again until well combined. This is the stage that you decide on the texture of the pesto. I like mine a little chunky.
- Pour half the oil into your mix and pulse once or twice. then add the remaining oil and pulse again. Don't overmix. The oil is just there to find the sauce together.
- Give your pesto a taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.
