Clean Eating Basil Pesto

I have a confession to make.

I have never made pesto before in life! There I said it.

Every spring I grow my own basil right outside my back door and around this time of year it turns into a magnificent fragrant bush. And yet I have never made pesto... until now. I know shocking isn't it?

I wish someone would have told me sooner what I've been missing out on. There's nothing like fresh pesto with whole grain pasta.

The one thing that got me was how easy it was to make. I always thought it would be some long drawn out process. Boy was I wrong. You basically throw everything into your food processor and presto! ...you have pesto. You probably even have everything you need to make this in your cupboards and pantry already.

This sweet peppery herb has some pretty unique health benefits too...

Nerd alert! It's time for some health facts:

Research has shown that basil has anti-bacterial properties, anti-inflammatory effects, is a very good source of vitamin A & beta-carotene, vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, iron, and is a good source of potassium and vitamin C.

Beta-carotene is a very powerful antioxidant that can be converted by the body into vitamin A. It's usually found in dark orange coloured vegetables and fruits, but is also found in high concentrations in certain leafy greens such as spinach, basil, mustard greens and kale. Remember when your mom told you that you would see in the dark if you eat your carrots; well that may have been a lie to get you to eat your veggetables but there is some truth to it. It is essential for good vision, growth and development, and proper immune system function.

Clean Eating Basil Pesto (makes about 3/4 cup)

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Ingredients:

• 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 3 cups fresh basil
• juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Direction:

1. Pulse garlic and walnuts in a food processor until chopped. Add basil, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper. Continue to pulse until chopped.
2. With the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until smooth. You may need to stop and scrap the sides down a few times.
3. Add the Parmigiano and blend until all ingredients are combined. 

*Note: This will stay good for up to a week when kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

This will be wicked on that whole grain pizza dough I made the other week, recipe here! Panini's, pasta, and pizza OH MY!

The other night when I came home from the gym I tried it as a topper for some chicken that we sauteed up in some olive oil (6 minutes per side on the stove top in a fry pan) it was like gourmet fast food. I think the next time I'll try it in stuffed chicken breast with goat cheese.

FYI. This hardly made a dent in my basil plant.

Easy As Pie: 100% Whole Grain Pizza Dough

Happy Labour Day Monday!

It's hard to believe it's already here. I don't know why but I still get those back to school jitters around this time of year.

My plans for the weekend? I hope to get a nice game of golf in with my family and just generally some good relaxing. Maybe even a fire on the back deck.

Today, I wanted to share with you a recipe/ tutorial for making pizza dough. Clearly I'm trying to use up as many tomatoes as I can. Remember last weeks post for marinara sauce. Well it's to die for on pizza. I only have pictures of the dough, but don't worry the pizza is still to come!

I've been making my own pizza for a few years now, and it sure beats most pizza places that I've been to. The one thing that's changed though is how I make my pizza dough. Well actually, we never really made our own dough in my house before. But now that I do I will never go back to store bought dough again. And more importantly it's healthier for you and it couldn't be easier.

Get it? Easy as pie? I know, bad pun.

My favourite flour to use is whole grain red fife, a Canadian heritage flour. The dough comes out super light and rolls out very nicely. However, if you can't find red fife you can substitute either 100% whole wheat flour or mix 1 cup of all-purpose white flour with 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour if you like, but the whole grain is healthier, less processed and 10X more delicious. It also makes for an awesome thin crust pizza!

If you are looking for that go to recipe that you make over and over again then this is it. It's an easy no-fuss dough that can also be made ahead of time. You can freeze it or make it the day before and put it in the fridge until you're ready to roll! It keeps beautifully.

It's also a great weeknight meal when you've mad the dough ahead of time. All you have to do is roll it out and top it and it's ready in under 15 minutes. That will keep the kids happy. Pizza night! And you'll be happy it's not swimming in grease.

100% Whole Grain Pizza Dough (makes 2 thin crust pizza's)

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Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup luke warm water (105* F)

• 2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast (1 packet)

• 2 cups red fife flour

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the water and yeast until dissolved.

2. Mix the flour and sea salt in a separate medium sized bowl, then slowly add to the water and yeast, while stirring. Now add the olive oil and keep stirring until the dough becomes hard to work.

3. Knead in your stand mixer or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 1-3 minutes until the dough looks and feels elastic. (flours will be fully incorporated and the dough should stretch a little when pulled).

4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes.

5. Deflate and divide the dough in 2: If using right away, on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece to fit your your pre-heated baking stone/ tray and bake at 500*F for 12-15 minutes.

Note: *If you'd like to use the dough the next day simple wrap each piece in some plastic wrap and store in

           the fridge until you're ready to roll it out. Its normal for the dough to expand a bit.

         *You may also freeze the plastic wrapped pieces of dough by placing them in freezer bags. They keep

           fresh for up to a week.

Did you have any fun adventures or plans this labour day weekend, before the kiddies go back to school?

Updated: As per request, this is a picture of the crust after baking. Enjoy!