Wendy from A Day in the Life on a Farm is hosting this month’s Movies & Munchies feature.

It’s February. The love month. Tempted by Love was the perfect movie for that. It’s a Terry McMillian “presents” movie so I had high hopes because I have enjoyed her books and adapted-from films like How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale.

Did I say this was a Lifetime movie? (Sorry, my prejudice for that genre is showing.) 🙁

The movie follows a 50-something famous chef who returns to her Southern roots because her aunt has fallen. She is also suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and has noticed a change in what she can and can’t do in the kitchen.

Of course, she’s picked up by a super hot 30-something driver. He finds her beautiful from the start. She is skeptical of the age difference from the start. Of course, he aspires to be a chef, too.

I really loved all the characters. It was just the dialogue and the way it was edited and cut. Maybe it was because I was watching it without the commercial breaks. I don’t know….

There was a lot of food in the movie starting out with a tutorial on making pesto without pine nuts (due to a customer’s allergy). Her specialty is caramelized scallops. We are also presented with okra soup, scrambled eggs on toast, scrambled eggs with beer (!!!!!), Hoppin’ John, and a bountiful birthday spread with all the fixings (including a beautiful strawberry spritz cocktail with rosemary).

I just kept going back to the pesto.

I have baby basils coming up in the greenhouse and a few bigger sprigs that I replanted from the supermarket produce aisle. I did not, however, have enough to make a good pesto. Instead, I decided to try something that I have been wanting to do for some time. I am in love with Melissa Ben-Ishay’s viral green goddess dip/dressing. I make it a ton in the summer (when I do have lots of basil). I’ve always wanted to replace the nutritional yeast with parmesan and use it on pasta. Here’s my take using just a touch of basil (all that I could spare from the greenhouse.)

Spinach-Pesto Pasta Salad

Based on Melissa Ben-Ishay’s Everyday Green Goddess

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. vinegar (Play around here–use a spiced vinegar, seasoned rice wine vinegar or white balsamic.)
• 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 c. baby spinach, packed
• 2 T. fresh basil (or other green herbs like parsley, oregano, chives, etc.)
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. pepper 
• 1 lb. pasta (your choice), cooked according to instructions
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor in the order listed, then blend on high until completely smooth. Set aside.
2. When pasta is cooked, rinse under cold water. Toss pasta with the dressing and fold in tomatoes. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve

Yield: 4-6

You can also use a bit of kale to add to your spinach. Ben-Ishay’s original recipe calls for cashews instead of pine nuts and nutritional yeast instead of parm. I like both versions. This is a great leftover salad and I plan on having it for lunch all week. Please note how much better this recipe will be in the summer with fresh cherry tomatoes and more basil.

Dried tomatoes are good in this as well and I think marinated artichokes would be a good addition. Play around!

Thanks for hosting, Wendy. I wonder what we’re doing for the March film?