Arugula-Basil Pesto Sauce

Store your extra pesto in ice cubes!

Hey everybody! I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season. Here's a simple recipe for Arugula Basil Pesto Sauce that anyone can make! It's super simple and is so versatile. I use it as a pasta sauce, spread it over grilled salmon, stuff chicken with it, use it as a ravioli filling, and mix it with my Cauliflower Cream Sauce to make a creamy pesto sauce. The best part about pesto is it works so well for school lunches. Make a large batch and store the pesto in an ice cube tray for later! Then, defrost a pesto cube, stir it into some whole-wheat pasta, add some fresh tomatoes, and put it in a Thermos for a simple lunch. The possibilities are endless. Share your recreations with me using #teenscancooktoo on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Gluten-free ravioli stuffed with Arugula-Basil Pesto
and smothered in Cauliflower Cream Sauce

Arugula-Basil Pesto Sauce
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
6 oz fresh basil leaves, stems removed
3 cups loosely-packed, pre-washed baby arugula 
The juice and zest of one lemon
3 small garlic cloves, peeled
2/3 cup pine nuts
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil 

Preparation
1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Remove the plastic piece from the top of the lid before starting. Turn the food processor on and drizzle in about 2 tbsp of the olive oil. If the ingredients aren't processing together smoothly, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the food processor, and pulse again while adding more olive oil. The pesto will be finished once it has a fairly smooth texture and there aren't any lumps of any ingredient. Save and freeze, or serve over pasta, chicken, fish, gnocchi, ravioli, and more! 

Tip: the more olive oil you add, the thinner the sauce will be. If you want a ravioli filling or something to stuff chicken with, add less olive oil. If you're shooting for a pasta sauce, add more olive oil. You may even want to add a tablespoon of water if you want it really thin. 

That's all for today! I hope you like this simple recipe. Please try it out! Follow Teens Can Cook, Too at all of our social media handles below. 

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Happy New Year, and stay healthy!
- Madeline