Pesto

I will never eat store-bought pesto out of a jar now that I know how delicious and quick this one is. An easy addition to pasta for a quick lunch, or as a salad dressing. Bulk out with some chicken breast for a protein-heavy meal.

Ingredients:

40 grams basil leaves (leave out the stems)
2 large clovess garlic, grated
120 grams olive oil
25 grams toasted pine nuts
25 grams parmesan cheese

Method:

If you are dealing with raw pine nuts, throw them into a dry, small pan for a couple of minutes until the edges start to brown.
These move from fine to burnt real quick, so be careful.
A food processor or smoothie blender makes this recipe a dream -- throw everything in and blend on the highest setting until you have a smooth sauce.
If it turns out a bit thick, you can let it down with a bit of oil.
Taste for seasoning (remember parmesan is decently salty) and adjust as necessary.
Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
For a simple pasta recipe, combine a heaped tablespoon of pesto (roughly 20 grams) with a serving (roughly 90-100g dried) of pasta.
Assuming you're eating the pasta fresh from boiling water, use tongs or a spider strainer and don't worry too much about a small amount of pasta water -- this will emulsify with the pesto to make a smoother sauce.
Finely grate some additional parmesan over the top and you have yourself Jack's working-from-home lunch.