Quinoa Pasta with Almond-Basil Pesto

There are some days where a quick healthy, meal hits the spot. My go-to post college meal was the blue box of Mac and Cheese. After the Whole Foods Detox last year this recipe has been a staple at our table, Quinoa Pasta with Almond Basil Pesto.

The recipe comes straight from my nutritionist Kasia Kines who adapted it from Dr. Martin at Sunlight Natural Health. It is called "Out-of-this-World-Pesto" in her 30-Day Whole Foods Detoxification Program that you can learn more about on her website www.kasiakines.com. We like the Ancient Harvest Quinoa brand. You can find it at Whole Foods and Harris Teeter. 

I've adapted it a bit to fit what we have in the garden or pick up from the farmers market. The key is the yeast flakes and soaked almonds.

Almond Basil Pesto

• 3 cups packed basil, or a mixture of baby spinach leaves and basil
• 3/4 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight in water
• 2/3 cup parsley (optional)
• 1 cup olive oil (or 3/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons water)
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes. (Look in the bulk section at Whole Foods)
• 3 cloves of garlic 
• 3 tablespoons of Celtic sea salt 
• Begin with almonds in a Cuisinart/food processor until chopped finely. Add greens and remaining ingredients until smooth. This will be a thick pesto. You can always add a little more oil or a tiny bit of water to make creamier.

You can add chicken and Parmesan cheese if you aren't vegan or doing a detox.

The trick for the pasta is to cook it exactly as the box says. One minute longer and your pasta will be mush. Make sure you do a taste test on the pasta and enjoy! Now I just need to get a basil plant so we can continue this all summer long. It will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge and you can even freeze it in ice cubes.

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