Healthy Recipe: Pasta with Basil-Cilantro Pesto

Recipe by Deirdre Imus, The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys
In addition to this pasta recipe, we also use the basil-cilantro pesto on bread and as a vegetable dip.  Try it and I can guarantee you’ll be using it often as well.  Garnish the dish with a sprig of basil for a hint of the flavor inside. 
 

Preparation Time:  15 minutes



Ingredients:

 

12   Ounces cappellini or linguine pasta

1 ½ Cups loosely packed basil leaves 

1 ½ Cups loosely packed cilantro

¼    Cup toasted pine nuts

2     Tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds

2     Tablespoons grated soy Parmesan cheese 

or Parmesan cheese

2     Tablespoons sliced green onion 

2     Tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1     Clove garlic

½    Teaspoon salt

6     Tablespoons olive oil 

Cooking Time: 10 minutes 

Directions:

 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Combine the basil, cilantro, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, Parmesan, green onion, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in the container of a food processor and process until roughly chopped.  Continue to puree, slowly adding the oil through the feed tube, until the pesto is smooth.  Toss the pasta with the pesto and the reserved cooking liquid until well coated.  Serve immediately.  

 

Makes 4 servings

 

 

Printed with permission from The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys by Deirdre Imus / Published by Rodale.