350g fresh or frozen broccoli florets (about 1 head)
handful of fresh basil leaves
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
5-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
Veg Portions / Serving:
1
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Recipe created for Veg Power by Claire Wright.
Claire Wright from addsomeveg.com shares 3 simple ways to prepare broccoli that the whole family will enjoy.
This creamy broccoli pesto is a hit with kids – so easy, they can make it themselves, and really delicious stirred through a big bowl of wholegrain pasta. Great for fussier eaters who don’t like to see the broccoli.
Method:
Steam the broccoli in a steamer or boil until tender (about 5 mins). Blitz in a food processor or with a hand-held blender with all of the other ingredients until it makes a smooth pesto paste, adding more olive oil if needed to thin it out. Taste and add a little salt and pepper if you feel it needs it. Allow to cool and keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freezer in ice cube trays and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, grabbing 1 ice cube per person as needed and stirring through hot pasta or other cooked grains, or defrosting in seconds in the microwave to spread over cooked meat or fish as needed. For even more added veggies, trying stirring it through some spiralized veg!
Kids in the kitchen:
This one is fun for kids. Teach older children how to safely steam or boil the broccoli. Any child will enjoy chucking the ingredients in a blender and pushing the buttons. Get them to stir the pesto through their dinner or pour into ice cubes trays to freeze for a later date.
Claire Wright
Communications Manager: After leaving Exeter University with a degree in English Literature, Claire worked in various fields ranging from youth work and charities to publishing, before starting up a food-focused website when her first child was born. After being asked to project manage the publication of Veg Power's Crowdfunder book, Claire came on board as a fully-fledged team member in 2018 to take on the role of Communications Manager, looking after Veg Power's website and social media platforms.
