Carrot pesto for pasta

This is my first post for many months! We went overseas in September and I came back pregnant, sick and in no mood for cooking! I couldn't even look at my foodie magazines for months! They would come in the mail and I piled them up to read when I was feeling better. Then there was late pregnancy and I felt too tired to cook, then the birth and the crazy tired 12 weeks that followed! Now my daughter Lennox is only waking once in the night I feel a bit more human and ready to experiment again....

This raw carrot pesto is a great dish - so tasty while being quick and easy to prepare. It's great for busy mums as the pesto can be made in advance and then all that's needed is to cook the pasta and stir it through! I use wholemeal pasta as it gives an extra nutty depth of flavor to the dish.

I've given measurements for the ingredients, but as with all pestos taste as you go and adjust the garlic, cheese, oil etc as you see fit.

I'm entering this dish in Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Once Upon a Feast.

Carrot pesto pasta

Ingredients:

2 carrots

2 cloves garlic

1/2 c roasted cashews

1/2 c parmesan

1/2 c parsley

1/4 c rice bran oil

salt

pasta

Method:

1. Peel and chop the carrots and put in a food processor with the chopped garlic, cashews, grated parmesan, and chopped parsley.

2. Process then add rice bran (or other mild) oil to form a chunky paste.

3. Add salt to taste and extra garlic/cheese/cashews etc as required.

4. Cook wholemeal pasta,drain then stir the pesto through.