#basilicious

This is a traditional basil pesto recipe that is gluten-free and tastes great with fresh basil. Great for storing your basil harvest and giving different dishes a flavor boost.

Ingredients: 2 cups fresh basil leaves. 1/2 cup gluten-free pine nuts. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or dairy-free alternative. 3 cloves garlic. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Instructions: Place basil, pine nuts, Parmesan or dairy-free alternative, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Add salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Pulse to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer the basil pesto to a jar or airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator. Use it as a pasta sauce, sandwich spread, or a dip for veggies.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

This slow cooker shrimp tomato basil soup combines the rich flavors of tomato and basil with succulent shrimp, creating a comforting and satisfying meal. The slow cooker method allows the flavors to meld together beautifully while ensuring tender shrimp in every bite.

Ingredients: 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined. 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes. 4 cups chicken broth. 1 onion, chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped. 1 teaspoon dried oregano. 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. 1/2 cup heavy cream.

Instructions: Put chicken broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a slow cooker. Set the timer to low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Throw in the shrimp and heavy cream about 30 minutes before you serve. Put the lid on and cook until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked. Check the seasoning and make changes if needed. Serve hot, and if you want, top with more basil leaves.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 240 minutes

This Chicken Caprese Quinoa Bake is a wholesome and flavorful dish that combines tender chicken breasts, nutty quinoa, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and aromatic basil, all baked together with a drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze.

Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa, rinsed. 2 cups chicken broth. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved. 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls, halved. 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1/4 cup balsamic glaze. 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Instructions: Warm the oven up to 190C 375F. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover, add the quinoa, and turn the heat down to low. Allow the quinoa to cook and the liquid to be absorbed for 15 to 20 minutes. On both sides, salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Warm up the olive oil in a big pan over medium-high heat. After you add the chicken breasts, cook them for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until they are browned and done. Take it out of the pan and set it aside. Add minced garlic to the same pan and cook for one to two minutes, until it smells good. Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and chopped basil should all be added after the quinoa is cooked. Allow the flavors to blend for two to three minutes while cooking. Move the quinoa mixture to a baking dish that has been greased. Add chicken breasts that have been cooked on top. Cover the chicken and quinoa with a balsamic glaze. For 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles, bake in an oven that has already been heated. If you want, add more basil leaves as a garnish before serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

A flavorful and colorful pasta dish packed with garden vegetables and enhanced with the bold flavors of Dorot Crushed Ginger and Dorot Chopped Basil.

Ingredients: 8 oz pasta. 1 tbsp olive oil. 1 onion, diced. 2 garlic cloves, minced. 1 bell pepper, diced. 1 zucchini, diced. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved. 1/2 cup vegetable broth. 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. 1/2 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp black pepper. 1 tsp Dorot Crushed Ginger. 1 tsp Dorot Chopped Basil.

Instructions: Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta. Warm up the olive oil in a big pan over medium-low heat. Put in the garlic and onion, and cook them until they get soft. After you add the zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper, cook for 5 minutes. Salt, black pepper, Dorot Crushed Ginger, and Dorot Chopped Basil should all be mixed in. Put the cooked pasta in the pan and mix it all together. Serve hot, and if you want, top with fresh basil.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

A quick and flavorful Thai-style stir-fry with tender beef, aromatic basil, and spicy chilies. Perfect for a satisfying meal!

Ingredients: 300g beef, thinly sliced. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 3-5 Thai bird's eye chilies, finely chopped adjust to taste. 1 onion, sliced. 1 red bell pepper, sliced. 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced. 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed. 2 tablespoons oyster sauce. 1 tablespoon soy sauce. 1 teaspoon sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: In a big skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Stir-fry the chopped Thai chilies and minced garlic for 30 seconds to release their aroma. Cook the thinly sliced beef for two to three minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Cook the bell peppers and onion slices for an additional two to three minutes, or until they begin to soften. Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. After adding the sauce mixture to the beef and veggies, stir-fry for a further one to two minutes, or until all of the food is well coated. After taking the wok off of the burner, add the fresh basil leaves and stir. The basil will wilt from the residual heat. Serve hot stir-fried beef in Thai style with steamed jasmine rice. Savor your mouthwatering Phat Bai Horapha!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

The week’s take on Soup Sunday featured another cult classic with a creamy blitz. Tomato and basil soup was found with ease once again by the magical iPhone app Allrecipes (NON SPON).

This week only included two soup comrades, Chrysanthemum and Sergeant Soup Martyr (Chelsey from the block), which resulted in extra yummy leftover soup rations, which in turn resulted in more admiring stares and proud affirmations in our respective professional lunching areas.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/230275/tomato-basil-soup/?internalSource=search%20result&referringContentType=search%20results

A massive shoutout must go to our Sergeant Soup Martyr’s side addition of a grilled cheese sandwich, which might have perplexed old Chrysanthemum (as the Brit struggled to comprehend this Canadian classic ensemble) but she quickly hopped onto that bandwagon.

The fact that we didn’t need any, I repeat ANY, extra seasoning is a testament to how flavoursome this soup turned out to be - the salt and pepper were banished from the table. It’s safe to say we did good.

Soup Rating: Tomatotastic

06/12/2015