By Gemma Ogston of Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen in collaboration with Gosh! Food| UPDATED: 11:28, 8 May 2020
This Italian pesto pasta is delicious and super easy to whip up. Made with Gosh! Spinach & Pine Nut Bites, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves
With immune-boosting foods being such a hot topic right now, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to begin with overhauling your diet.
But did you know that making a simple adjustment like upping your daily fibre intake could be all that is needed to make a real difference.
Why Fibre? Why Now?
Your gut microbiota, known in simpler terms as the mass of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes living in your intestines, has a huge impact on your immunity. The best way to keep your gut happy is to feed it a regular supply of fibre, which is found in wholegrains, fruits, veggies and other natural foods.
Plant-based food brand Gosh! Food is your one-stop-shop for fibre. Gosh! has collaborated with talented cook and published author Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen on a range of delicious fibre-filled recipes to keep your tummy smiling all throughout lockdown. Each meal contains more than half the NHS’ recommended daily fibre intake of 30g.
Tasty Italian Pesto Pasta using Gosh! Spinach & Pine Nut Bites
Serves 4
Prep time 5 mins
Cooking Time 15 mins
Ingredients
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1 packet of Gosh! Spinach & Pine Nut Bites
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350g of dried pasta of your choice
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200g of cherry tomatoes, halved
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150g bag of spinach leaves
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Handful of pine nuts, lightly toasted
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Handful of fresh basil leaves
For the Pesto
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2 cups of packed fresh basil, large stems removed
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3 tbsps. of pine nuts or walnuts
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3 large garlic cloves, peeled
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2 tbsps. of lemon juice
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3-4 tbsps. of nutritional yeast
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¼ tsp of sea salt (plus more to taste)
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2-3 tbsps. of extra virgin olive oil
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3-6 tbsps. of water (plus more as needed)
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180°C fan and cook the Gosh! Spinach & Pine Nut Bites for 15 minutes
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Boil water in a pan and cook the pasta according to the instructions
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Meanwhile to make the pesto, into a food processor or small blender add the basil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and sea salt and blend/mix on high until a loose paste forms
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Add olive oil a little at a time, streaming in while the machine is on if possible. Then add 1 tbsp of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached – a thick but pourable sauce. Taste and adjust flavour as needed
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In a large bowl, mix together the cooked pasta with the pesto, Gosh! Spinach & Pine Nut Bites, cherry tomatoes and spinach. Mix through until the spinach is wilted and season with salt and pepper to taste
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Serve in a bowl with pine nuts and fresh basil
Veggie Hack
Swap the nutritional yeast for 100g grated parmesan and if you’re feeling really decadent, add some more grated cheese to finish.