Pasto pasta is a solid favourite for Brits across the UK (Image: Getty)
Pesto pasta is always a go-to when the cupboards are looking bare. It is a quick, efficient, and tasty meal. But too often that means reaching for the same jar of shop-bought pesto that has been sitting at the back of the fridge for weeks.
Making pesto at home is quicker and tastier than most people realise. The thing that puts people off is that making it from scratch with pine nuts can get pricey.
But according to registered nutritionist and senior recipe development manager at recipe box service Green Chef, Lily Keeling, there is another seed that works just as well, for a fraction of the cost. She said: “Nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of pesto pasta. Most of us don’t realise how easy it is to make at home, and how much better it tastes fresh.”
“People are often put off by the price of pine nuts, but if you swap them for pumpkin seeds, you get a nutty, mildly sweet flavour plus some extra health benefits at around a quarter of the price,” she adds.
Pumpkin seeds cost as little as 84p-£1.20 per 100g at major UK supermarkets, compared to £4-5 for pine nuts. Beyond the price tag, pumpkin seeds bring a nutritional edge too.
“They’re packed with antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which help the body fight off harmful free radicals,” Lily says. “As well as containing zinc, iron and magnesium, all of which play a vital role in immunity, energy levels and muscle function.”
Lily shares her quick and simple pumpkin pesto recipe:
- 100g pumpkin seeds
- 100ml olive oil
- Large bunch of basil
- 50g Parmesan, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 lemon, juice only
- Salt and pepper, to taste
“Finely chop the pumpkin seeds and the basil and place in a bowl with the grated parmesan, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend in a food processor or hand blender until creamy and smooth. Then simply season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy with your favourite pasta shape or a delicious dip for bread,” she said.
Health benefits of pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are nutritional hand grenades. They pack a huge amount of key nutrients in one small seed and are high in zinc, which is vital for brain function and immune health, as well as fertility.
Your muscles and bones are helped by the presence of magnesium, which also slashes tiredness and fatigue. They are also surprisingly high in protein, with 7g per typical serving of two tablespoons. You are supposed to eat about 0.75g of protein per kg body weight each day. For a 70kg adult, that would be about 52.5g protein – so two tablespoons accounts for 13 per cent of your daily needs.
They also have unsaturated ‘healthy’ fats, which help lower cholesterol and boost your heart health. Pumpkin seeds contain 49g total fats per 100g, meaning they’re made up of almost half fat – both saturated and unsaturated, which helps explain why they are such a good substitute for pine nuts.
Their husks provide fibre, which more than 90 per cent of Brits do not consume enough of every day. They are, however, calorie-rich, so should be consumed in moderation.
One 2020 study said: “A significant number of studies have established a relationship between natural bioactive components of foods and health promotion and disease prevention.
“Plants are natural sources of bioactive compounds and are widely used as functional food ingredients. The pumpkin seeds, like other seeds, are rich in functional components. They are high in vitamin E (tocopherols), carotenoids, provitamins, pigments, pyrazine, squalene, saponins, phytosterols, triterpenoids, phenolic compounds and their derivatives, coumarins, unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, and proteins.
“Pumpkin seeds are good sources of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, as well as other minor minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron, calcium, sodium, and copper. Some of these bioactives and minerals act simultaneously at different or identical target sites with the potential to impart physiological benefits, promote well-being, and reduce the risk of non-communicable disorders such as tumors, microbial infections, hyperglycemia and diabetes, oxidative stress-associated complications, prostate disorders, and urinary bladder complications.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
