Low Carbon Footprint Recipes Intro + Presto! Pesto Recipe
Low Carbon Footprint Recipes: For People And The Planet
From the time I could walk, food has been a passion of mine. It led me to be a restauranteur for 37 years and to start the first national organic cocoa and chocolate syrup company (under the AH!LASKA brand). I became a certified health coach with IIN and now a Nature-Nutrition Coach and offer Culinary Healing Arts Retreats and nutrition and business coaching at Always In Season Farmstead on the Big Island of Hawaii. I’m busy being an author, Nature photographer, and LOVER of LIFE.
To kickstart this recipe series from now every couple of weeks, I’ll provide you with a new low carbon footprint recipe (LCFP).
By choosing to eat an LCFP Diet, you can help be part of the Soulution. We all know that we have to make a shift to a more sustainable Earth. Well, something that we can all do is begin valuing the food we consume.
All 7.3 billion of us (and counting) eat. What we ingest has a significant impact on our economy, environment, and health. Considering the average plate of food on an American table travels 1500 miles, it makes sense that the American Diet is partially responsible for the Climate Crises. Eating is a simple daily task we can all wrap our mouths around to help heal and regenerate the world.
A useful Carbon Foot Print calculator can be found at Food Emissions. Another reference is Green Eatz .
Eating with awareness helps us eat foods that make us feel good and reduce the impact we have on Earth.
Big Love, Mama Donna
Presto! Pesto Recipe:
This is a great example of an LCFP recipe. The main ingredients can easily be grown at home or found at your local farmers market. It also only takes human energy to prepare, but a food processor or good blender really helps.
This easy recipe tastes great and has a robust garlic flavor. Sometimes I like to shake it up and use roasted garlic for a milder and sweeter roasted flavor. I also like to mix up the nuts and the portion of herbs to get a different flavor profile. You can serve up the pesto with other locally sourced foods such as spaghetti square, roasted vegetables, or make into a salad dressing, scramble with farm fresh eggs, in pasta dishes, pizza, panini sandwiches… use your imagination.
I sometimes use The Presto! Pesto to flavor and accent fresh fish. After I cook the fish, I’ll spread a thin layer of the pesto, and cover the pan for a few minutes, so the pesto warms up before serving. When I consider a serving of fish or any animal, it is always the smallest portion on my plate. Around 3 oz.
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes Cook Time: none 🙂 Total: 10-15 minutes Makes Approx. 1.5 cups Presto! Pesto
Ingredients:
🌿 2 cups fresh basil leaves tightly packed
🌿 1 cup fresh Italian parsley or cilantro leaves tightly packed
🌿 ¼ cup nuts
🌿 4-5 large cloves of garlic
🌿 2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
🌿 ½ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
🌿 ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, or alternative vegan Parmesan cheese
🌿 Salt and Pepper (to taste)
You can refrigerate or freeze the leftover pesto in an airtight container.
Directions:
Blend the basil, Italian parsley, cilantro, garlic, nuts and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. As you blend, slowly add the oil. Blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse the food processor a few times until integrated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
You will need: A knife, a bowl, and a food processor or blender is most helpful as are measuring cups and spoons. I do use a food processor but prefer to eyeball my quantities. 🙂 and adjust the taste to what I sever it with.
Why The Presto! Pesto Recipe Is Good For You
🌿 Fresh basil, parsley, cilantro, lemon, and garlic are high in vitamin C. They also provide other important antioxidants and health benefits.
🌿 Olive oil is monounsaturated fat, which is the healthiest type of fat.
🌿 Nuts are among the healthiest foods you can eat. They are filled with antioxidants, unsaturated fats, quality fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals. They can lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of cancer, lead to better heart health, and keep your weight under control. All nuts have health benefits, even the pine nut which is often the “nut” of choice in most pesto recipes.
🌿 Pine nuts, commonly used in Pesto, are actually the edible seeds of pines. They are also a great source of anti-aging antioxidants and packed with magnesium and many of the health benefits of nuts. Pine nuts are expensive for good reason. One being the climate crises influences the yields. Remember, they’re edible seeds from pine cones. To gather those seeds from the cones takes time. Poor yields, labor costs to produce, and a greater demand, have driven the cost up.
🌿 Vegetables are low carbon producing food.
🌿 When you buy organic, there are no harmful pesticides and other chemical going into your body or the earth.
🌿 Minimal transporting of goods.
🌿 No heavy jars to transport, throw out or recycle.
🌿 You can grow most of the ingredients, even if you live in an urban area.
Container Gardens:
You can grow nutrient-dense food and improve your health. Container gardening is relatively easy, and fun. You can grow something anywhere there is light, water and proper nutrients to feed your plants. Learn more about Organic Container Gardening from one of my favourite sources, the Smiling Gardener. To grow and make the Presto! Pesto, you just need a few tomato plants, some basil, cilantro or Italian parsley planets and garlic bulbs. All grow well in containers.
If you don’t feel like growing it yourself, try to buy local to support your community.
I hope you enjoy this low carbon footprint recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts and read your comments. Thank you all for taking the time to read 🙂
Download your free preview of my memoir by clicking here. You will discover in more detail how I learned how to be the happiest person I know. Gratitude and love have shown me the way.
Sending you big love and aloha! Have an amazing day.
Big Love ❤️ Mama Donna
