"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"
-- Lucy Van Pelt (Peanuts)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Quick Fix: Arugula Pesto with Goat Cheese

I'm really lazy. Especially when it's cold out. Sometimes I can't muster up the energy (yes, I can, I'm just being lazy), to go to they gym, to go to the grocery store (I can eat bread for dinner right?), to do my laundry, to update my blog...

It happens to the best of us. Sometimes the couch is calling and a marathon of your favorite show comes on, or maybe a marathon of your not so favorite show, but will be your favorite show if it means you don't have to get up right now..

Who hasn't been there? Just where will Adam Richman find his next food challenge.. what will Robert Irvine do to fix THAT restaurant.. which FBI agent will suffer an emotional meltdown while tracking down THIS serial killer.. how DOES he meet their mother.. why can't these housewives just get along with each other?

As you can probably tell, I have a lot of lazy experiences..... and when C.S.I. calls, and I'm missing an ingredient, I can't just stop and get to the grocery store. So I get creative in the kitchen. This is a quick recipe I thought up when I discovered that I didn't have a sauce on hand for the pasta I was boiling during a recent marathon.

What I did have, was arugula. Peppery, tangy, fresh arugula. And that's when it hit me, PESTO!

I was so excited (distracted) by the idea (by what was on TV) that I forgot to put the nuts in, and it still was absolutely delicious. Which means that if you or a loved one have nut allergies, no worries! It's all good, just omit the nuts! So fresh tasting and acidic, serve over pasta and top with a bit of crumbly creamy goat cheese to contrast. Mmmm, now get back to the couch...

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups Arugula
1/4-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I like more cheese, so 1/2)
2 garlic cloves smashed and chopped finely
1/2 cup Olive Oil
A squeeze of lemon juice
A handful of almonds (optional)
Goat cheese (for serving)

Add arugula, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and almonds into a food processor with about 1/4 cup of the oil. Begin processing and add remaining oil in a small stream. Keep adding the oil until the mixture becomes a thin paste (the consistency of pesto). Enjoy!