Spinach Almond Pesto

As some of you may know, I have been trying to grow my very own basil plant, Filbert. Each day I go out to our balcony and water him. Sometimes, I even take him to the pool with me to sun bathe. As his scent grows stronger everyday, so does my craving for pesto. Unfortunately Filbert is not big enough to produce a full batch of pesto; therefore, I have had to make some amendments. This is also a great way to make a less expensive version that is still full of flavor.

Ingredients

3 cups lightly packed spinach
8-10 basil leaves
¼ cup raw almonds
1/3 cup fresh Parmesan OR mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt plus extra for the water
1 box whole wheat penne
1 lb shrimp, already steamed, peeled and tails removed

Preparation
1. Place the spinach, basil, almonds, cheese, olive oil and salt in a food processor and blend until the mixture is almost paste-like.
2. Place water and a bit of salt into a pot and heat over medium high heat. Once the water boils, dump the pasta into the water and cook according to the packaged directions (about 10-15 minutes).
3. When the pasta is ready, strain it in a colander and return it to the pot. Scrape the pesto into the pot and place the shrimp on top. Stir until everything is well combined and the shrimp are warm.