Primavera Pesto Plate! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey guys!

Happy Monday!

How's everyone doing?!

So I have a confession to make...I'm sitting here watching The Bachelorette!! :D Eek! It's my guilty pleasure. I know, it's such TV trash, but I just can't stay away!

Well. Tonight, I made a delicious, delicious meal! Today was sunny and 80 degrees -- a picture perfect spring day!

Sooo I decided to use that as inspiration for dinner! What did I make? A wonderful Primavera Pesto with Roasted Cauliflower and Zucchini Ribbons!

And it was soooo good:)

It's Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet and Body Ecology Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves 1 with leftovers)


Pesto:

3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1 cup (packed) fresh basil
1 cup broccoli, steamed
1 Tbsp EVOO
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt

1/2 zucchini -- cut into ribbons (use a spiralizer, vegetable peeler, or knife)
1/3 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

chopped fresh basil (garnish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

After you break your cauliflower into florets, place them in a single on a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed cooking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 35 minutes, flipping once half way through.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli. I used frozen broccoli and just microwaved it for 4 1/2 minutes, but you could also place it in a traditional steamer. Then, place everything into the food processor and blitz until you get a smooth and creamy sauce. You'll need to scrape the sides several times to help out the machine.

When your cauliflower comes out of the oven, immediately place it in a medium sized bowl, and toss your florets and zucchini ribbons with the pesto cream sauce. Serve with chopped basil as a garnish.

Goodness gracious! How delicious was this meal!

First of all, it just looked delicious. It was spring on a plate! Beautifully green and artfully messy! And the smell of the fresh basil perfuming the kitchen is just wonderful. It just fills the room and brings springtime right into the house!

The best part was the cauliflower. Cauliflower is another one of those veggies that gets a bad wrap, and that's because I don't think people have had it prepared properly. I mean, let's face it...when you boil the life out of something, it's not exactly the "belle of the ball." But when you roast it, let me tell you...magic happens in the oven! It becomes caramelized and crunchy, and golden brown and AMAZING! That, coated in the rich and creamy pesto sauce is just mouth watering-ly fabulous :)

And can we just talk about the pesto! It's so bright and fresh and VEGAN! Most pesto uses parmesan cheese, but this one doesn't! I bump up the pine nuts and use lemon to give it that *zing!* Pesto is one of my favorite things to make. Actually...it's a terrific thing to make for company because it is SO FREAKING EASY....I mean, if you can turn on the food processor, you can make pesto!  And your guests will think you're the gourmet hostess with the mostess:) haha

And a wonderful thing happens with the zucchini ribbons. I'll be honest...cold, raw zucchini ribbons can be a bit lackluster. But when the heat from the cauliflower florets mixes with the ribbons, they soften and become "twirly" and slurpy - almost like pasta!

Alright...now back to the Bachelorette:) What's your favorite TV show?

Until next time!