Why Best Bite + Gratuitous Pesto Recipe

My first blog post after launching my website (I’m sorry, WHAT?! I have a WEBSITE?! Kinda surreal but I digress…) is technically supposed to be an “intro” blog. Why did I create Best Bite Nutrition? What is my mission? What was the journey that lead me here? And I really look forward to sharing all of this. But, I’m not doing it now. Why? Because the dog is pacing and questioning my love for him because he has yet to be walked, the kids are glued to screens so I need to go manage that so their brains don’t melt, I have research and replies I owe clients, I have errands to run, chores to take care of… I have life. Summer + Life. That is how it is and I know you feel me because I don’t know too many people sitting around all day with their feet up eating bon-bons with nothing on their calendar except writing thoughtful blog posts. I mean, SIGN ME UP FOR THAT…PLEASE… But that’s not our reality. (Most of us, anyway).

So for now, I leave you with two things:

  1. A life long passion for food and its healing properties after watching (as a kid) family members change their diets and stop dropping dead. They were on to something! It just took me a while to pursue a career in helping others to heal themselves with food. But more on this in another post.

  2. A kick-ass recipe for you: Pesto Rosso. This is an old recipe that I did not create. In fact, it goes back at least 20 years when my husband and I were living in Old City (Philly!). I have not tasted this recipe in at least 15 years probably, but the subject came up a few days ago and I decided I needed to revisit this deliciousness. And after reading the recipe, turns out it’s super healthy to boot! (sans the high level of salt but most of us don’t need to worry about extra salt in one meal - have some extra veggies along with it, the potassium will help balance the sodium: potassium ratio!). I made this last night and it’s as fabulous as I remember. It’s amazing on toasted or grilled crusty bread, it’s delicious on veggies like grilled mushrooms, charred broccoli, and tasty over a protein like grilled chicken. And of course, you can stir it into pasta. As a snack or starter, serve it as a dip for raw veggies!

    Pesto Rosso (adapted from Patricia Wells’ Trattoria)

    10 sun-dried tomatoes, drained of their oil
    1 plump fresh garlic clove, peeled and minced
    1 t crushed red pepper
    6 T extra-virgin olive oil
    20 salt-cured black olives such as Italian Gaeta or French Nyons
    2 t minced fresh thyme leaves
    1 T minced fresh rosemary leaves

    In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until the sauce is lightly emulsified but still quite coarse and almost chunky. (You do not want a smooth sauce.)
    The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month, if you cover it with a film of olive oil.

Recipes, Stacey Says, SidesStacey Wenzel