Do you have a garden in the backyard or a few herbs growing in pots on your patio or balcony? Are you looking for healthy recipes that will put the delicious flavors of your harvest at the forefront of every meal? If basil happens to be one of your summer crops this year, you’re in luck.

Sharmila Chatterjee MSc, MS, RD, LDN, CDE, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, shares a vegetarian-friendly recipe that makes basil a star:

Recipe makes 5 servings

Ingredients:

For the puree: 
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2c pine nuts
3/4c basil, chopped
1 1/4c frozen peas
1/4c olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste 

For the grilled vegetables:
5 large (1/2” thick) tomato slices
5 medium portabella mushroom caps
5 medium (1/4” thick) jicama slices
2 tbsp of your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
5 basil leaves

Directions:

To prepare the puree: 

• Place the garlic cloves, pine nuts, and basil in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
• Heat frozen peas according to the package instructions.
• Add peas to the food processor and blend.  While blending slowly add the olive oil until the mixture becomes creamy.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and blend.

 To grill the vegetables:

• Heat grill to medium/high heat.
• Brush the vegetables with the salad dressing and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place jicama and mushroom caps on the grill and cook until tender (approximately 5-7 minutes on each side).
• Place tomatoes slices on grill and only cook until grill marks appear (approximately 1-2 minutes on each side). 

To assemble dish:

• Place one slice of grilled jicama on each plate.
• Spoon 1 tbsp of the puree onto the jicama.
• Layer with 1 slice of grilled tomato.
• Spoon 1 tbsp of the puree onto the tomato.
• Layer with 1 portabella mushroom cap.
• Top with 1 tbsp of puree and garnish with a basil leaf. 
• Serve immediately while puree and vegetables are warm.

Nutrition Information (per serving) : 

Calories: 255
Fat: 19.5g
Carb: 15
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g

Do you have a favorite recipe that includes fresh basil as an ingredient?