Spinach Pesto Pasta Salad

I have been introduced to other ways to make pesto recently.  Before I have always used pine nuts but now I am using walnuts.  Better nutritional value and less fat!  I have also been experimenting with putting spinach in the pesto mix with delicious results, and more vitamins to boot!  I apologize in advance for not having photos of the salad it was going before I could take a photo but I am sure I will make many more times this summer and I promise to post my results!

Ingredients:

   For the pesto

 2 cups spinach leaves 

 1 bunch basil

 1 to 2 cloves garlic (depending on preference)

 1/3 cup walnuts

 3 tbsp olive oil

 Salt and pepper to taste

   For the salad

  Box of pasta of your choice I prefer fusilli buries up to you

  8 to 10 olives diced

  1 medium tomato diced

  1/4 cup banana peppers diced
  2 to 3 green onions diced
  Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

      Start the water for the pasta.  In a cuisinart or blender blend the spinach basil and 2 tbsp of the olive oil. After that is blended well add the walnuts garlic and the rest of the olive oil and blend well taste and add the salt and pepper as needed.  Set aside (I usually find it much easier to put in bowl and place in the fridge so it is ready to go).  As the pasta is cooking prep the rest of the vegetables.  Add to a large mixing bowl and add the pesto.  After the pasta is rinsed and drained add that and mix well.
Yum and done!

Spinach Basil Pesto

I love pesto, I could most likely eat it every day of my life and be fine with that.  Taking my love for pesto to the next level I decided to experiment with adding some different veggies.  Okay truth be told, I have a rather large amount of spinach we need to eat before it turns.  So I decided to blend some in with my traditional pesto recipe.  The results - delicious!  The spinach makes it a bit more creamy, cuts the strong flavor of the garlic down as well.  As well as adding some other great vitamins to delicious pesto!  I added this batch to my pesto summer salad

Ingredients:

• aproximently 8 ounces of fresh basil
• 1 cup to fresh baby spinach

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tbsp pine nuts

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 Clean the basil and spinach and dry well and place in to your blender or food processor along with 2 tbsp olive oil and blend until the leaves are in small pieces. Then chop your garlic and add along with the pine nuts as well as the salt and pepper to taste. If the pesto seems a little dry feel free to add a bit more olive oil. 

Here is the pesto waiting!

And a happy salad with spinach basil pesto!