Pesto Hasselback Potatoes

It is day 5 of my whole30 challenge! I will get more into how it is going and how I am feeling in a post later this week, but I am LOVING it so far!  There are side effects of the sugar detox, but every meal has been so tasty.  I don’t really look at the restrictions when I am trying to think of a recipe, but just think of all of the options I do have and how I can make everything extra tasty!  I wanted to make some pesto because the basil packs at trader joe’s were glaring at me when I grabbed some apples.  I already had walnuts at home so this recipe came together so quickly and easily.  I used the pesto recipe from the Whole30 cookbook and just added it into the crevices of these hasselback red potatoes.  I loved using red potatoes so it is just a mini shot of potato goodness.  This way you can have you protein, some good green veggies and a mini tater!  The pesto gives you not only flavor but a nice dose of healthy fat to keep you full between meals as I have found that to be CRUCIAL!  No snacks for us! 🙂 Okay get yourself some basil and make it happen!

Look at that beautiful green pesto!

Crispy on top and soft in the middle!  The only way to eat a tater really.

Basil is one of my favorite herbs!! Yet I still can’t manage to keep basil plants alive… maybe one day!

Potatoes come in all shape, size and color and we have a recipe for all of them, Enjoy

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Pesto Hasselback Potatoes

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 pounds red potatoes

pesto: (from the whole30 cookbook!)

• ½ cup walnuts
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. First make your pesto. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the walnuts in a single layer and stir or shake frequently until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Combine the walnuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the basil and spinach and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the lemon juice. While mixing on low speed, add the olive oil in a slow stream until all the ingredients are fully blended. Add the salt and pepper and pulse a few more times to combine.
3. Take red potato and slice a small sliver off of one side so it can sit it flat on the baking sheet. Place the potatoes on foil on your baking sheet. Make small slits in the top of each potato going almost through to the bottom but not all the way. I made about 4-5 slits in each potato. Then spoon the pesto into each slit. Once they are all done spoon 1 more spoonful of pesto onto each potato then place them in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and fork tender. Once you remove them from the oven, drizzle a little more pesto onto each potato and sprinkle with sea salt. You will have extra pesto! Save the extra for later, I put mine into ice cube trays for a quick portion!