Beets-pistachio Pesto Kamut Fusilli

Beets-pistachio Pesto Kamut Fusilli can be surprising for some, but you should try it, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. I’ve made this recipe with kamut fusilli, the ancestor of modern wheat, but also a filled with health benefits grain. Kamut is a whole grain, a great alternative for low-carb diet and diabetics. Although since brown pasta is not so appealing to the eye… we need to find a tasty way to make us forget about that color. That’s when the red beets pesto comes in the game! A healthy,tasty and colorful pesto that hides this less attractive brown pasta.

I’m a big beets lover, but sadly there are often put aside because of their earthy flavor, but when used in combination with salty goat cheese and pistachios it balance out great the heavy earthy taste from the beetroot. Plus, Beets have that great ruby red color which make a great base for a romantic dinner, for you lovers out there. Without saying it’s an extremely healthy meal on many levels, here is why;

Beets are a “one of a kind” roots, not only do they have that special color, texture and flavor, they are crazy healthy. Those benefits are, for example, the folates which reduce the risk of birth defects, lowers blood pressure, boost your stamina, etc. Also, another main attribute is to detox your liver, when filled with toxins, the beetroot help to clean up that mess. Another health benefit from beets would be; it helps antioxidant enzymes build up in your body and increase your white blood cells, which are the bad cells warriors. So you want lots of those guys to keep the enemies out. Result; beetroot is a magic root!

Since it’s a quite healthy root vegetable, I had to put some extra cheese on it, just to bring it down a notch. Feta or goat cheese is a great combination with it, the salt and the creamy factor help out the beet earthiness. The arugula on top is to spice things up a bit and the pistachios to makes it salty, crunchy, plus it adds a great contrasting color to the ruby red pesto.

Let’s make this healthy, delicious meal going!

Beets pesto pasta

Ingredients

Pesto

• 2-3 medium sized precooked beets
• 30 ml of extra-virgin olive oil
• 60g pistachios
• 50g feta cheese
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• salt, pepper

The toppings

• 500g pasta (your favorite whole grain pasta; kamut, quinoa, etc)
• few arugula leaves
• crumbled feta
• crushed pistachios

Directions

1. In a mixer, blend all the pesto ingredients.
2. Cook your pasta.
3. Drain the pasta, then add the pesto to the bottom of the still warm pot (in order to heat it up with the residual heat)
4. Add the pasta on top and mix well,
5. Add a splash of olive oil
6. Serve with the toppings and extra crunched pistachios

You could substitute the arugula for some fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!