Tag: pesto

Roasted Pesto Portobellos

Melissa King 29 Comments

If you were to ask me what some of my favorite veggies are, spinach, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes top the list.  So, I thought I would combine them together to make this super easy meal.  This meal is so easy to put together.  I made the whole thing within just a few minutes after we got home from my daughter’s soccer game.

Musroom Portobello watermark2

This meal comes together in minutes.  It really is no trouble at all.  For the pesto, I used almonds instead of pine nuts because pine nuts can be so expensive.  The almonds worked out great.  I also use nutritional yeast in place of cheese.  Nutritional yeast is super healthy and actually is a great source of B12.  B12 is one of the few vitamins that is hard to find in a plant based diet.  It also has a cheesy and nutty flavor and that is why it’s used in place of cheese.  This was the first meal I made using some ingredients from our garden.  The basil is flourishing so I plucked a whole bunch off.  It grows back so fast.

Roasted Pesto Portobellos

Roasted Pesto Portobellos

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Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 20 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 T parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 8 cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 portobello mushrooms stems removed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. In a food processor grind up all the ingredients except the mushrooms and tomatoes until a pesto forms.
  3. If the mixture seems a bit dry, you can add a bit more oil or even a little water.
  4. Grease a baking sheet and lay the mushrooms on it.
  5. Fill each cup with pesto and top with the cherry tomatoes.
  6. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes.

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Recipe Notes

We were actually going to make 4 mushrooms, but my husband butchered one in the process of removing the stems. That is why in the picture, the caps are filled to the brim with pesto. They were still delicious, and I wish we had leftovers, but they were all gone quickly. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Healthy White Bean Pesto Dip

Melissa King 34 Comments

Healthy White Bean Pesto Dip.  When I go to a party, I am all about the veggie platter. And what’s the best part of the veggie platter?  The dip of course! After all, hummus is life!

This healthy white bean pesto recipe is to die for. Perfect for any veggie platter.  You can also serve it with chips.

The creaminess of the white beans mixed with the basil and garlic really make the dish.  If you’ve never tried a white bean pesto recipe before, this is a must try.

 

healthy white bean pesto dip

 

While most dips are loaded with fat, the good news is, this white bean pesto dip isn’t and it tastes just as good!  The secret ingredient… the white beans.  It gives this dip that creamy texture.

Healthy White Bean Pesto Dip

Healthy White Bean Pesto Dip

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Prep Time 10 min Serves 2 cups     adjust servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white beans (We use dried beans and soak them overnight and then boil them in the morning until they are soft. About 20 minutes.)
  • 10 leaves of basil
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 T dried parsley
  • 1/2 T dried mint
  • 4-5 T water

Instructions

  1. Throw everything in the food processor and blend until smooth. That’s it. Easy huh?

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Recipe Notes

You can use this recipe as a dip, or as a sandwich spread. Today I spread some of it on whole wheat lavash bread with some cucumbers and red peppers. It was yummy! It would also make a good pasta pesto sauce too. I hope you enjoy it.

Thinking of Takeout? Try This Pizza!

Melissa King 7 Comments

I know that life moves fast and a lot of time you don’t have the time to whip up an elaborate dinner.  Instead of ordering a pizza, try making your own flat bread one.  It’s super easy.

When I was in high school, I worked at a pizza restaurant.  They used to let us make a small pizza to take home after our shift.  We used to get creative with the toppings.  I think I made a steak and cheese pizza once.  On slow nights we used to make fried dough.  It was fun and yummy.  Probably not too healthy though. 🙂  Now, every time I smell takeout, it reminds me of that time.

Quick Flat Bread Pizza

Thinking of Takeout? Try This Pizza!

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Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 17 min

Ingredients

    For the pizza

    • Whole grain flat bread
    • 10-12 cherry tomatoes
    • 1/2 cup mushrooms
    • 1 bunch baby spinach
    • 1/4 cup daiya cheese

    Pesto Sauce

    • 1 cup fresh basil
    • 1 cup fresh parsley
    • 1/2 cup almonds (I use almonds because pine nuts are so expensive)
    • 3-4 garlic cloves rough chopped
    • 2 T nutritional yeast
    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    Instructions

      Pesto Sauce:

      1. Grind the almonds up a bit in the food processor first.
      2. Then add the basil, parsley, nutritional yeast and garlic.
      3. As you process those, drizzle in the oil until everything is well mixed.

      For the pizza

      1. Preheat oven to 350.
      2. Take the whole grain flat bread and brush it with oil and bake it for about 7 minutes.
      3. Pull the flat bread out and spread on the pesto sauce, add the mushrooms, spinach and tomato and cheese and bake for another 10 minutes or until the flat bread looks crispy.
      4. Cut up and enjoy!

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