Plant Based Pesto

I love traditional pesto consisting of basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Over the years I have experimented with many different herbs and nuts, developing a wide variety of combinations. Here is a basic plant based pesto recipe to make your own.

Prep Time: 10 minutes (if you soak your nuts ahead of time)

Processing Time: 5 minutes

Quantity: 3 cups

Organic Homemade Plant Based Pesto Recipe

• 2 cups packed herbs (I use basil, oregano, cilantro, or parsley - you can do a combo or all of one type. I have also added spinach and/or moringa)

• 1 cup organic raw nuts (soaked)* (I use cashews, pistachios, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds or pine nuts. A combination works good too!)

• 2 garlic cloves or 1 elephant garlic clove

• 1 TSP organic lemon or lime juice

• Salt & Pepper to taste

• 1/3 cup avocado oil or olive oil or a little more for consistency

Directions

• Add all ingredients to food processor and blend.

• Pulsing at first then allow food processor to blend.

• Stopping to scrape the sides as needed.

• Add more oil as needed or you can use water if wanting to save on calories. I don't recommend omitting all of the oil as your final product will be watery and not very tasty.

• I have tried this in a blender, but find the food processor to be the easiest. Sometimes I add nutritional yeast flakes for a nutty/cheesy flavor.

• I like to serve on tomatoes or cucumber slices, with a plate of veggie slices to dip, or with flax crackers. I have added to pastas, into my flax crackers or as a base for a salad dressing.

• Get creative and have fun with it to make it a way you and your family will enjoy!

*When soaking nuts, pour plenty of water over them. The nuts will absorb some of the water as they soak, so more is better.. I make sure there is about 2 inches covering them I typically place them in a bowl on my counter and leave overnight or soak them in the morning and process in the evening. If I cant process them soon after soaking them I change the water out and place in my fridge. If I don't want them any softer I refrigerate without water. They willI keep or another day or two, but be careful because they will mold if left too long. The color does change slightly after soaking and will get some purplish spots. They should never taste sour, just softer. I try to soak all of my nuts before processing to remove the phytic acid which causes indigestion. Soaking allows your body to absorb the nutrients and digest them easily. Dehydrating is necessary afterwards or processing like in this recipe.