Fill a large stock pot half way with water, add a generous pinch of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin Spanish olive oil and turn the heat to high

Grab a small non-stick frying pan, heat with a medium heat and dry roast 1 tbsp of pine nuts and 1 tbsp of blanched almonds for about 3 minutes or until lightly roasted

Coarsely chop 2 tightly packed cups of spinach and add to a mortar

Finely mince 1 clove of garlic and add to the mortar with the spinach

Add the toasted pinenuts and almonds to the mortar and mash everything together for about 2 minutes

Add 2 fresh basil leaves to the mortar and continue to mash all the ingredients together for another 2 minutes

Season the mixture with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and add about ⅛ cup of freshly grated dry-aged Manchego cheese and mix everything together

Next start pouring in some extra virgin Spanish olive oil into the mortar in a slow stream, while stirring the mixture with the pessel until you reach a creamy texture

Cover the mortar with seran wrap and set aside

Once your water begins to boil add 2 cups of whole wheat macaroni to the stock pot

After about 9 minutes, the pasta should be perfectly cooked al dente, drain the pasta and add to a large bowl

Cut 5 sweet cherry tomatoes in half and add to the bowl with the pasta and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Add the pesto sauce to the bowl and mix everything together

Transfer the pasta to 2 plates and garish each plate with a basil leaf