Make and use pesto

What to do with pesto?

I like to add it to a noodle dish with chickpeas, cut squash and a ribboned hardy leafy green like kale. It’s an easy way to spice up a weekday meal.

I threw the whole 2 ounce basil bunch in the food processor with a handful of pecans, 4 glugs of olive oil, 4 garlic cloves and a parmesan hunk and blended. I added a little water from the can of chickpeas - which makes the pesto blend better and turn out less oily. It’s possible to use just about any nuts to make pesto, but I avoid peanuts because the result tends to taste too much like peanut butter. You can also choose a different hard cheese, but be sure it’s a hard cheese, subbing mozzarella (or another soft cheese) for parmesan will alter the overall texture.