Basil Arugula Pesto with Toasted Pine Nuts

This delicious pesto recipe makes the perfect amount to be tossed with 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb of your favorite pasta. Today I had a 1 lb bag of Trader Joe's penne

Basil Arugula Pesto Recipe

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  3 cups (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves

  1 cup (loosely packed) fresh arugula

  1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

  2 garlic cloves, peeled

  1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

  Juice of 1 small lemon

  1/2 cup nutritional yeast

  2-4 tablespoons water, as needed

DIRECTIONS

Place 1/2 cup oil, basil, arugula, pine nuts, garlic, lemon peel and juice in blender. (My new Vitamix blender makes this process a breeze). Blend to thick paste. Add nutritional yeast, and blend until smooth With motor running, add 2-4 tablespoons water to processor. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Halve 1 quart of grape tomatoes. Drain pasta and add tomatoes. Gently fold in pesto and combine. YUM.

What made this recipe a BREEZE to throw together was this fantastic bag of pine nuts from Trader Joe's, which are already toasted. Keep them in the freezer for whenever the mood to make fresh pesto strikes...especially popular in the Summer months with gardens full of fresh basil. ^_^