Pesto is one of my favorite summer foods. Fresh basil is easy to find. Ideally, buy a plant and grow your own--the more you pick it, the more it grows, even if you just have it ina pot in a sunny spot.

Not only does pesto taste great, it's got lots of olive oil (good source of heart-healthy omega 3's), plus parmesan cheese for calcium, and pine nuts for protein.

Here's my basic recipe:

1/4 cup pine nuts (aka pignoli)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)

2 cups fresh basil

3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Combine basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic in food processor bowl. Process until blended. Add cheese and process until well blended. Enjoy on your favorite pasta!

Note: Pesto freezes well, and you can easily double this recipe and put some in the freezer. I like to freeze in it approximately quarter-cup portions.

Happy Running!

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