Presto, Pesto!

Growing up, I used to love pesto: on anything from crackers to pasta to eggs. The nice thing about pesto is it's made mostly from basil which packs a lot of flavor for minimal calories, but the problem is  after the basil, there are tons and tons of other ingredients added to make it and each one is made completely differently, so not all pestos are created equal. A lot of them are made with loads of oil and nuts- which are healthy fats, yes, but these guys can really add up. Luckily, I've found a way to make a lower-cal pesto that still packs all of the flavor of the basil combined with garlic-y, nutty goodness.

To make Tiny Tummy's Pesto, you will need:

1 overflowing cup of basil
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of fat free ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
a generous pinch of salt and pepper

To prepare, simply throw everything into a Vitamix or food processor and blend until smooth. This makes a very thick pesto. If you prefer a thinner pesto, gradually add water to thin it. I usually add about a tablespoon or two.

And for anyone who wants the nutrition information, here it is for the entire batch! Though as a disclaimer, the calorie number seems a bit high, and I put it into a recipe calculator, so it is possible this is an over exaggeration, but still, an entire container of pesto for less than 170 calories? Not half bad!

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