This basil pesto pasta salad is the best thing I could come up with to combat this insanely humid Texas heat. It is absolutely unbearable. I had soup the other day, because I love soup year round – don’t judge me- and I couldn’t even sit in my kitchen and enjoy it without sweating bullets. A girl that can’t peacefully enjoy a soup in summer? Now that is just blasphemy.

It was after this heart breaking soup story that I decided to make something that did not cause my ass to sweat. I mean.. enough is enough.  That’s when I remembered this cold meal. It was always so refreshing and convenient back when I could digest gluten (9 years ago), but to this day I recall the taste being so delicious. I hate to admit it, but setting out to make the gluten free version seemed a little daunting. What if it didn’t taste the way I remember? Should I let it be a reminiscent memory of the past – like pizza?

No. Overcoming these fears, I decided to try it.  Boy, I am glad I did because it turned out to be just as good, if not better, than it was many years ago. And, I didn’t get a huge stomach ache after. Score!

From the book, “The Ultrametabolism Cookbook” by Mark Hyman, M.D. I tailored the recipe to make it gluten and dairy free. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of broccoli, chopped
• half a head of cauliflower (or 2-3 cups)
• 3 organic carrots, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of pine nuts
• 2 cups of fresh basil leaves, washed and stems removed
• 4 TBSP lemon juice
• dash of kosher salt
• 2 TBSP of olive oil
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 (12 oz.) boxes of gluten free fusilli pasta (Jovial is the brand I used from Whole Foods)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. While pasta is cooking, mix the pine nuts, basil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor or a high powered blender, and puree until smooth.
2. Place vegetables in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Drain pasta and pour hot pasta water over vegetables. Blanch vegetables in pasta water for 3 minutes. Drain blanched vegetables, add cooked pasta and approximately 2 TBS of the pesto sauce and toss gently until mixed.
4. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours for flavors to marinate.

 

I hope you make this and enjoy it!

 

 

 

 

Nutritional analysis

Per 2 cups: 358 calories, 11 g fat, 3.7 g sat, 0 mg chol, 13 g fiber, 24 g protein, 59 g carbs, 58 mg sodium.