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25 May 2011

Your Mission, If You Decide To Accept It, is to help me figure out a meal with pesto→[More:] that is 1) non-meat and 2) does not include pasta or gnocchi or anything else that is high in carbs.

I have a load of basil to use up, and can acquire any other ingredients needed.

post by: danf at: 12:11 | 27 comments

Off the top of my head - Bean Pesto Salad! Chop a red onion, add beans (pinto, canneloni, whatever), pesto, black pepper. Serve on bed of nice lettuce. Perhaps a little white wine or cider vinegar for contrast but I'm not sure what that would do to the pesto.

Beans are moderate in carbs but also have protein. If fish is allowed, I'd add some tinned tuna.

posted by altolinguistic 25 May | 12:30

If a non-pesto suggestion is allowed, I would use that basil on top of some tomato and mozzarella for a Insalata Caprese!

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 25 May | 12:33

Non-meat, low-carb. Google 'heart healthy basil recipes'.

posted by Ardiril 25 May | 12:52

Are beans okay? Soupe au pistou?

Or you could deconstruct the soupe au pistou, leaving out the stock, and make it into a stir-fry, adding the can of beans and the pesto at the end. (The beans will go mushy if they're stir-fried too much - you just want to warm them through.)

posted by Senyar 25 May | 12:52

My favorite: pesto and pesto.

posted by aniola 25 May | 12:57

I love pesto on anything but why not put it on tomato and mozzarella a la Insalata Caprese?
Can't wait to grow me some basil like a mad fiend.

posted by ethylene 25 May | 13:14

I loooove pesto on fresh green beans that are just cooked aldente.

posted by Stewriffic 25 May | 13:32

The bean pesto salad idea is ahead, for tonight, I think. I wanted to make something that would be a whole dinner, and, while I would put some fancy jarred tuna (you need to sneak up on them) in it, I will keep it on the side, as my wife does not like fish or chicken that often and we had salmon last night.

posted by danf 25 May | 15:05

Pesto pear gorgonzola pizza.

Pesto-crusted baked tofu with fresh tomatoes.

posted by BitterOldPunk 25 May | 15:10

I don't even know what pesto is

posted by Eideteker 25 May | 15:16

I don't even know what pesto is

You have flunked the yuppie test, Eid.

posted by danf 25 May | 15:20

Spaghetti squash with pesto as the sauce? Haven't tried it but I bet I'd really like it.

posted by Sil 25 May | 15:26

Pesto is the best-o.

grilled summer squash, topped with pesto (lightly oil squash, grill)
sliced tomato, topped with pesto
ditto those green beans.

posted by theora55 25 May | 15:39

Pesto is a spread of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt.

Except you can't find real pesto any more because everyone is using pine nut substitutes because pine nuts are even more ridiculously expensive than they used to be because the pines aren't producing pine nuts lately.

posted by aniola 25 May | 16:00

Don't forget the cheese.

posted by ethylene 25 May | 16:06

I have pine nuts, aniola. Trader Joe's always carries them. In fact all the ingredients from this are from TJ's.

posted by danf 25 May | 16:22

Someone suggested an actually-decent substitute for pine nuts that I hadn't thought of a while ago, and I can't remember what it was.

Danf, I was just defining pesto for Eideteker. You can still make real pesto, but rare is the prepackaged pinenut pesto these days, in my experience. That will make your pesto all the tastier.

posted by aniola 25 May | 16:52

I have had good luck with pistachios, aniola.

posted by Ardiril 25 May | 17:14

I make mine with some walnuts from the farmers' market. Oregon has great walnuts!

posted by Sil 25 May | 17:25

OK, I'm having pesto on pasta with tuna and olives for dinner. Thanks for the inspiration!

posted by Stewriffic 25 May | 17:29

Ah, it's got nuts. Probably why I've never even come near it.

posted by Eideteker 25 May | 17:30

My pesto tortilla pizza recipe.

posted by Thorzdad 25 May | 17:35

Walnuts are probably a healthier alternative. But I'll go with pine nuts tonight. I also splurged and got some tuna fillets from italy. . .to serve on the side.

I appreciate all of the feedback on this.

posted by danf 25 May | 19:07

For the win! Wife loved the bean salad. I forgot the tuna, though, left it in the cupboard.

posted by danf 25 May | 20:53

Woo-hoo! That was probably the most influence I've had all week.

posted by altolinguistic 26 May | 02:12

I make pesto with pecans. They have a very smooth flavor. Pesto, tuna, olives & bread for dinner. That's a plan.

posted by theora55 26 May | 17:15

Pecans! That might have been it.

posted by aniola 26 May | 19:42

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