Pesto (+ quick bruschetta recipe)

About two weeks ago, I bought a basil plant from the farmers market, which it was a great buy!. That plant grew faster than I could use the leaves so I learn to harvest it so it will keep providing leaves for the rest of the summer. What to do with so much basil? Mom told me; "make pesto for your chicken pesto pasta or bruschetta".

...So here is my recipe and you will need;

• 1 cup of fresh basil  
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 green onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. of coconut oil or/ 1 tbsp. of olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 4 little shallots (optional)

In a pan on medium heat add 1 tbsp of coconut oil (or olive oil) until melted. Add the finely cut garlic cloves, until golden. When garlic cloves are golden (not burned) add the shallots and green onion, salt and pepper to taste, and saute.

 When onions and shallots are clear you can add  2 cups of  spinach, let it cook until spinach turn soft. that's it about 2 minutes in medium heat.

When all those veggies are cooked place on a bowl to cool down. In the same pan add the cup of fresh basil on low heat for a few seconds. Don't let basil turn brown! I opted to warm up the basil so it will acquire the taste of the sauteed onions and garlic but you can also mix it  when it is fresh.

As soon as the sauteed veggies are cool down, place them in the blender with 1/2 of a tablespoon of olive oil and blend until veggies turn into a paste. 

**You can refrigerate for about 3 days.

Pesto Bruschetta (Option for your pesto)

You will need:

• 1 baguette
• goat cheese (taste really good with honey goat cheese from Trader Joe's) 
• pine nuts

Slice a baguette on a diagonal about ½-1 inch thick slices. In one side of each slice add a few drops of olive oil and on the other side generously spread goat cheese. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Warm up the over at 450 F (Toast the bread in the top rack in your oven). Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden or the goat cheese is melted. Take off the cooking sheet, let it cool down for 1 minute and spread the pesto and sprinkle some pine nuts.  Enjoy!