Sun-Dried Tomato & Sprouted Almond Pesto

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Candied Tomatoes - Sun Dried-Tomatoes

Do you remember my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sun-Dried Tomatoes from last week?  Did you make it yet?  If not you’re really missing out!  Look what else I made with those leftover sun dried tomatoes! I always have Crispy Nuts on hand so I thought Pesto.  It’s quick, easy and really delicious too.  Besides, I needed something fast to whip up for dinner this past Friday evening.

Just like any other couple, my husband and I love going out on a date night, especially with great friends!
I love being with my friends and having dinner together.  I have a lot of foodie friends so we always choose awesome places with good local fare and organic ingredients.  We eat delicious food, chat, and laugh.  And of course, drink wine.

For me, and for many other couples, that’s what Friday or Saturday nights are for.  Because I have a early morning boot camp class I attend regularly on Saturday mornings, we rarely go out on a Friday night.  Our date night is reserved for Saturday night…

Sun-Dried Tomato & Sprouted Almond Pesto
Sun-Dried Tomato & Sprouted Almond Pesto

But to be honest, there are some weekends where we just prefer to stay in, both nights.  Besides, we both enjoy my cooking and so do most of my friends….ok all of my friends.

I invite a few friends over and cook something tasty, and usually it shows up here on my Blog, Facebook, and/or Tweet, Tweet?.  My friends almost always show up with delicious wine and there is always good beer in our fridge.

One of my friends who was at our wedding said this to my husband….“You made two great choices, marrying Karen and your taste in beer, Summit!”

"Karen finally tied the knot....calls for a Summit"
“Karen finally tied the knot….calls for a Summit”

So this past Friday that’s exactly what we did.
Every time I serve Pesto at a dinner party, it’s always a big hit no matter what I do with it…over pasta, spaghetti squash, grilled chicken, scallops, or even a dressing for a simple but elegant green salad.

Since I had some pretty tasty Sun-Dried tomatoes and crispy nuts at my finger tips, I decided to make this rich, creamy, and tasty Sun-Dried Tomato and Sprouted Almond Pesto and serve it over zoodles.  The pretty green zucchini noodles and this delightful red pesto sauce were a perfect pair.  It was a hit.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Sprouted Almond Pesto
Sun-Dried Tomato & Sprouted Almond Pesto

However this delicious pesto is a great partner for nutty whole-wheat pasta, my husband’s favorite.  Truth is, he loves any form of pasta any which way.  If it weren’t for me, I honestly believe he’d eat noodles every night…not zoodles, but NOODLES!  Trust me, his diet has improved since marrying me.

But guess what else…..this pesto is so good you can also eat it by the spoonful.  This was perfect for a Saturday night in…or any night for that matter.  Who knows, maybe we’ll have it again this weekend.  Besides, it makes for a great meal the night before a long run when paired with my favorite, brown rice noodles.  So runners, I have solved your dilemma for what to eat before your next run……Make this!  You won’t be disappointed.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Sprouted Almond Pesto

Ingredients
Makes about 1 cup 

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
⅓ cup sprouted (crispy) almonds
1 garlic clove, peeled
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves depending on size
juice of half a lemon & 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Directions
In a food processor add crispy almonds, garlic, and basil and pulse until roughly chopped.
Add sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and Pecorino Romano cheese and process until a uniform paste has formed.
With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil and continue blending until the olive oil is emulsified into the pesto and the sauce looks uniform.
Use immediately or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.  (Be sure to save about 1/2 pasta water if serving with noodles.)



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