Hemp pesto

I have posted a recipe for pesto before. But this version using hemp seeds gave such a creamy result that I wanted to share.

As with all pesto recipes, it's a very very simple recipe. The reason I am specifically posting on hemp seed pesto is because of the nutritional value of hemp seeds. These little seeds taste slightly like raw cashews but carry a huge array of health benefits:

- high protein content
- high omega 3 & 6  content (omega 6 usually obtained from animal meat), as we all know these fats are important for brain and heart health
- the omega 6 found in hemp seeds is an usual type called GLA, known for its anti-inflammatory properties
- contain all 10 essential amino acids (amino acids are the building block for protein, these 10 are essential and cannot be made by our bodies and therefore be obtained via our diet)

All you need are these 5 ingredients:

- large handful or basil or ruccula or half of each
- 2 dl grated parmesan cheese
- 2 dl cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
- salt + pepper
- 1 dl hemp seeds

If you want you can always add 1/2 clove of raw garlic.

Then simply blend all the ingredients. Yep thats it. Done. Serve with pasta, roasted vegetables, on a soup, as part of a sandwich combination, on a home made pizza. The possibilities are endless.

You can keep the pesto in a clean glass jar in the fridge with a thin layer of oil covering the pesto for up to a week.

Easy breezy pasta salad

This pasta salad comes from a good friend of mine. Her recipe, my take.

Ingredients needed for 4 servings: 

200 grams fresh parmesan

1 ball of buffel mozzarella

1 dl roasted pine nuts

8-12 ripe cherry tomatoes

5 dl pasta - I used whole wheat fusseli but any other macaroni pasta shape would do too

handful of fresh basil

1 spring onion

good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 

salt & pepper

1. Put on a pan of water to boil for the pasta. Add a little drizzle of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking. 
2. Grate the parmesan. 
3. Chop up buffel mozzarella into cubes
4. Cut the tomatoes into fourths or halves and add them to a bowl large enough to fit all the ingredients.
5. Slice the basil and spring onion finely and add to the bowl as well as salt & pepper and a good drizzle of the olive oil. Mix. 
6. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions, I always try mine 1 min before the recommended cooking time as I prefer my pasta al dente and hate mushy pasta. 
7. Sieve the pasta and run cold water over it to cool it slightly. 
8. Add the pasta to the bowl and then the cheeses and the pine nuts. Mix. Taste, add more seasoning if you like & then eat!