cheap eats [healthy pesto]

With all my fresh and cheap basil from the farmers' market, I needed a good recipe for pesto. Traditionally made with lots o' cheese and oil, I was on the hunt for a healthier version, and found a few options. I think this week I'll try the first, and next week the second.

zucchini noodles with pesto

This version relies on fat-free ricotta for the creamy texture, and uses a minimal amount of olive-oil and parmesan. Though it calls for pine nuts, I think I'll try walnuts, as I prefer the flavor and have them on hand more often. As we approach fall, this idea sounds interesting: use pumpkin seeds as the nut addition.

This version I'm even more interested in, and uses an avocado to get that smoothness and healthy fats. With less than 1/4 the calories of olive oil, this seems to be a very healthy alternative. The recipe is vegan, low-carb, low-calorie, and all that nonsense to which I should probably pay more attention. Then again, this recipe has absolutely no nuts, oil, or cheese, which pretty much means it's not really pesto.

Maybe the third week I'll try the traditional, full-fat version and let D enjoy it- this NY Times recipe (and subsequent uses) sounds perfect. To make it go further, the same author makes an arugula pesto and broccoli pesto, too.

Pesto can live in the freezer for months, though the NY Times article recommends freezing just basil with oil and salt, and adding in the crushed garlic, nuts, and cheese when ready to serve. It's good in the fridge for about a week, so think about making smaller batches.