Second destination on our culinary trip around the world: Italy

Today I am pleased to offer you my second recipe, this time from the next destination on our culinary trip around the world:

Italy

Imagine riding on a winding street, flanked by Cypress trees, with the windows open inhaling the scent of herbs like wild thyme, oregano, and basil. In the distance an old town on a hill amid northern Italy, maybe Volterra.

You will go for a nice stroll in the old town and end up in a tiny restaurant having pasta…

One of my favorites is spaghetti with “Pesto Genovese” .

If you do this with vegetable noodles you have a perfect gluten-free summer meal. I love to complete it with “Caprese” Italy’s famous salad from tomato and mozzarella cheese.

For 4 generous or 8 appetizer portions of pesto you will need:

· 4 fresh basil plants (inch pots)

· 2 cloves of garlic

· 100 g pine nuts

· 100 ml extra virgin olive oil

· 50 g grated parmesan cheese

· Salt and pepper to taste (I take a ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt and a ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper)

1. Put the basil leaves (no stalks), the garlic and the pine nuts in a high container. It is important that the leaves are dry. I usually wash the leaves the evening before I intend to do the pesto.

2. Take a blender stick and blend the ingredients until creamy.

3. Add the olive oil slowly in little portions, making sure it has combined with the pesto.

4. Add the cheese using a dough scraper to blend until fully combined.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste

6. Prepare the noodles and enjoy!

Nutritional information:

Unless you are allergic to vegetables of the nightshade family, tomatoes are a powerhouse of antioxidants. They contain Lycopene, a carotenoid which helps to protect from heart disease and cancer.

Pine nuts are abundant in minerals like manganese and magnesium. They also contain Vitamin E, K and Lutein, which is important for your eye health. As most nuts they contain healthy fats, which support brain health.

While parmesan cheese is rich in protein, it is also low in lactose (if you get the original one).

Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, a mono-unsaturated fat which supports heart health.