I have enjoyed my little fire escape garden more than I expected this summer. I used the basil, oregano and thyme nearly every weekend and made a few meals of chicken and potatoes with the fresh sage. It really made the city summer feel a little less oppressive having access to my own fresh herbs!
The other new fun of this summer was tandem bike riding. We had an awesome time on Governor’s Island riding around for hours on the bike – it was a great way to get my son practicing riding while still comfortable that I am in control.
After a nice day out like that, it’s great coming home to my little garden and making a hearty dinner using fresh herbs. I have missed pesto a lot lately in my FODMAP diet. I used to love a heavy garlic pesto, adding cream to make a nice thick cream sauce – YUM. Well, I decided it was time to come up with an alternative recipe so I no longer need to feel like I’m missing out.
Low-FODMAP Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta
Ingredients – Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
2 tbsp. toasted almond slivers
1/2 cup garlic-infused olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions – Pesto
Combine basil leaves and almonds in a food processor and combine until finely minced.
If possible, leave the machine running slowly and drizzle the oil in until the mixture is smooth. Otherwise, add the oil in 2 – 3 sections until smoothly processed.
Add the cheese and process for a few seconds, long enough to combine.
Store the pesto in the refrigerator if serving on its own. Otherwise, place to the side while you make the cream sauce.
Ingredients – Cream Sauce
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. gluten-free flour
1 1.2 cups milk (I use almond)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions – Cream Sauce and Final Dish
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Whisking constantly, add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk, whisking to fully incorporate. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened.
Stir in the pesto you made earlier and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Pour over cooked pasta and chicken and serve with herb garnish. Enjoy!
As we didn’t want to leave the house in the storm again, we made boiled lobster tail and kale and quinoa on the side for dinner. I’ll share both recipes below. The lobster tail was a new one for us, so we had to experiment a bit; it turned out great!
