Baby spinach and walnut pesto

My take on your usual green pesto. I’ve always used spinach to basil as this way I’m getting more goodness in the dish. I also find you get a lighter pesto flavour and the garlic really comes through. Perfect for a summer’s evening!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4-6
200g baby spinach
90g grated Cheddar cheese
65g walnuts
2 cloves garlic crushed
60ml olive oil
1 juice of small lemon
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
Black pepper to taste
Little water to thin out if required

METHOD

1. Put walnuts into a food processor and blitz until walnuts resemble bread crumbs

2. Add the baby spinach, lemon juice, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper and whizz again on a medium setting. Slowly add the olive oil whilst processor is on

3. Make sure all the spinach and ingredients are blended well.

4. Take pesto out into a bowl and place in fridge whilst you cook your pasta. Once pasta is ready, spoon pesto as a sauce onto the pasta, mix and enjoy.

Summer fruit ice lollies

A delicious treat and great for children as you can add any fruit they may like and is also void of unnecessary sugars found in ready made ice lollies. Also counts towards your a 5 a day!

INGREDIENTS

Orange squash (enough to fill your ice lolly mold)
3-4 strawberries sliced
1 satsuma in segments

EQUIPMENT: Ice lolly moulds (mine are from Ikea)

METHOD

1. Place sliced fruit into the lolly moulds and fill with the orange squash to the top. Add the sticks to make the lollies

2. Put into the freezer overnight. In the morning you will have fresh frozen fruit lollies