Protein Packed Pesto

If you grow your own basil, no doubt you've made pesto, that well-known uncooked sauce from Liguria that contains basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Each year, I make enough pesto to tuck away in my freezer and tide me over through the winter. But my pesto this year will be different, thanks to this terrific recipe from The New York Times. We've been trying to include more protein in our diets, especially since my husband's operation earlier this year. As we age (and my husband and I are definitely in the "golden years") our bodies require more protein. Cottage cheese is packed with protein and makes this pesto so creamy and nutritious. There's also spinach in the recipe, that adds more nutrients and helps the pesto retain its bright green color. It also uses less olive oil (fewer calories) and no nuts whatsoever. Did we miss them? NO! We just loved this pesto so much, it's become a staple now that basil is so prolific. 

After a few minute in the food processor, it comes out looking like this -- and it retains its color after tossing with the hot pasta.

Don't scrimp on the parmesan cheese. It adds so much flavor and is one of the most protein-rich cheeses you can eat. And because it's aged for a minimum of 12 months, it's also easy to digest and virtually lactose-free. It's also filled with calories unfortunately, so sprinkle at the peril of your waistline. 

Protein Packed Pesto

(recipe from The New York Times)

Ingredients:

• Salt

• 1 lemon

• 8 ounces whole-milk cottage cheese (1 cup), at room temperature (I use fat-free cottage cheese)

• 3½ ounces grated Parmesan (1 cup), plus more for serving 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

• 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

• 3 ounces baby spinach (3 big handfuls)

• 2½ ounces torn basil leaves (2 packed cups)

• 1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta (I used fusilli)

Directions:

1. Step 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, zest and juice the lemon into a high-powered blender or food processor. Add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, oil, garlic, spinach and basil. Blend until very smooth. (in a food processor, this can take up to five minutes.)

2. 1. Step 2

      Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Scoop out 1 ½ cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. With the blender running, pour ¾ cup of the pasta water into the cottage cheese mixture and blend until smooth.

3. 1. Step 3

      Off the heat, add the cottage cheese mixture to the pasta. Toss vigorously until the pasta is coated in sauce, adding more pasta water as needed until glossy. Season to taste with salt. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan.

   2.