blissful eats with tina jeffers: Roasted green beans and squash with hazelnut pesto

We are in the thick of summer and boredom is starting to set in.  I know that people talk about the dangers of overscheduling for kids but I don’t think I could ever have my son in too many activities.  He would be happy to have a camp and sports activities planned everyday of the week and still complain about needing something to do. 

In my attempt to keep him busy I tried to get him to help me out in the garden the other day planting some herbs and watering but he lost interest in about 2.3 seconds.  It seems that he is only bored until there is work to be done. 

Our vegetable garden is starting to really take off and I haven’t done the best job keeping up with it since in addition to working I am driving my boy all over town from one camp to another.  I love spending time in the garden but it’s gone a little wild this season and I have just kind of thrown things in here and there when I get the chance.

I do have a nice supply of green beans and zucchini and I wanted to try something a little bit different with them so I roasted them over high heat and served them with a lemony hazelnut basil pesto.  It’s a great side dish or would be great served over some pasta for a main course.  If you have an overabundance of veggies coming from your garden it’s a great way to use up some of the bounty.     

Roasted green beans and squash with hazelnut pesto

Ingredients:

For the vegetables:

1 pound green beans

1 pound zucchini

2 tablespoons extra virgin-olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbs chopped roasted hazelnuts

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the pesto:

2 garlic cloves

3 Tbs toasted hazelnuts

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

¾ to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

For the roasted vegetables:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Trim the ends of the green beans and slice the squash diagonally into ½ inch slices.   Lay the vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet, toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast, stirring once halfway through, until lightly caramelized and crisp tender, 12 to 15 minutes.  To serve plate the vegetables with a spoonful of pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and hazelnuts.

For the pesto:

In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the garlic, hazelnuts, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice and a ¼ cup olive oil.  Process until a paste forms and then slowly drizzle in the rest of the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.  Season with salt and pepper.