Pesto Pasta by Dr Vanessa D'souza (Guest Recipe)

We have a guest with us, just in time for Women’s Day!

Before I introduce her, a little introspection.

What defines us?
Is it our roots, our profession, our strengths, our weaknesses?
Yes, all of that. But, above all when we align ourselves with the ONE thing that sets our soul free, is what really defines us.

Dr. Vanessa D’souza M.D. (Hom) is our guest and let us bond with her with a topic that is closest to my heart – Homegrown organic foods.

With experience of more than 15 years in the field of medicine and currently practicing in Bangalore. She runs a global homeopathic clinic by the name – Miracle Homeopathy, offering online consultation and doorstep delivery of medicines across the world.

While the world was facing some of the most wicked times , no thanks to the pandemic. There were some of us who have put this phase to good use. Dr Vanessa had picked up this hobby during the pandemic and now her work is here for all to see.

Inspite, of her hectic schedule, she beautifully pursued her hobby and has managed to create sheer magic with her terrace garden – it is a work of art!

She shared some pictures of the produce from her terrace gardens

Dr is clearly the happiest around the greens. Creating something with your own bare hands, will always have that effect on us, it gives us perspective and a sense of wonder.

Out of her wide collection of herbs and veggies, she has picked the sweet basil and cherry tomatoes to put to good use and sent us a recipe for an Italian meal, which also happens to be my personal favourite – PASTA IN PESTO SAUCE

It is a completely drool-worthy Italian main course. See how easy she made it look.

You will need the following for the Pesto Pasta

Most importantly Penne Pasta & Parmesan Cheese 😀

Grind the pesto in a mixie, saute the cherry tomatoes in oil, add boiled pasta and the pesto sauce to the pan, stir. Add grated cheese and serve hot.
(Detailed recipe shown below)

Pesto pasta

Ingredients :

400gm Penne pasta
3 cups Italian basil (sweet basil)
3tbsp Cashew nuts
5-6 peeled garlic
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp pepper powder
10-12 cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt to taste

Serves 5-6 persons

Method :

In mixer dry grind cashews and garlic. Add the basil 1 cup at a time along with the grated cheese salt pepper and few spoons of olive oil. Mix in between with spatula and add olive oil if required while grinding to make it into a paste. This paste is your pesto.
In boiling water add enough salt and the penne pasta give a boil for few minutes until done and then strain.
In a pan add a little olive oil and saute the halved cherry tomatoes.
Put off the gas, add the boiled penne pasta and pesto sauce.
Mix to coat the pasta evenly with pesto.

Garnish the pasta with good amount of grated parmesan cheese and serve hot.

We have a few gardening tips from the expert.

For growing vegetables in pots she usually use 60 % cocopeat 20% garden soil and 20% organic fertilizer.
Adding a little fertilizer every 10 days is important.
Always check soil before watering with the tip of your index finger. Over or under watering your plants may kill them.
She also make her own compost for the plants, you can do that too.

A word on homeopathy way of treatment by Dr Vanessa D’souza

Homeopathy is a system of medical practice based on the attempt to ‘let like cure like’. According to Homeopathic Doctors, a substance that produces certain symptoms in a healthy individual will cure those symptoms in a sick individual. Some plants for example, cause rashes Homeopathic doctors thus treat rashes with these plants. Onions cause crying and watery discharge from the nose. Therefore, onions are used to treat cold.

Visit her website : www.miraclehomeopathyclinic.com