Best Basil Pesto (and the healthiest)
Servings: 1 cup
This basil pesto recipe is certainly the best tasting and the most nourishing recipe about! It's a great way to include healthy greens in your families diet.
Ingredients
- 1 clove/s garlic -peeled and crushed
- 50 g parmesan cheese -finely grated (dairy free version below)
- 1 bunch/s fresh basil leaves
- 2 stem/s kale (leaves torn from the stems)
- 30 g sunflower seeds (¼ cup) lightly toasted
- 30 g raw cashew nuts (¼ cup) lightly toasted
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil -extra virgin
- ½ lemon/s juice, zest optional
Optional Extras
- 1 red chilli/s (or even half a red capsicum for a vitamin C boost)
Instructions
- You can make this in a mortar and pestle but I prefer to use my Thermomix (or any good food processor will do the job) as I like a textured pesto. I tend to use the pulse (turbo) function so I can control the texture I'm after. If you like a course pesto like me, process less, for a smooth pesto, process more.
- You can grate and crush your parmesan and garlic by hand or in your food processor. If using a Thermomix 10 seconds, speed 6.
- Add the basil and kale. Pulse until almost chopped. If using a Thermomix 2-3 pulses.
- Then add the cashews and sunflower seeds. A couple more pulses should see it combined nicely. If using a Thermomix 2-3 pulses.
- Lastly, season well and mix with your lemon juice and EV olive oil. If using a Thermomix 10 seconds, reverse speed 3.
Store
- Drizzle with a little olive oil to seal it and prevent it discolouring.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Can also be frozen in a airtight container or even in ice-cube trays (and then cubes put into an airtight container once frozen).
Notes
Dairy-free and vegan
Omit the parmesan. I'd suggest adding a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast for cheese flavour and even a handful of ground macadamia nuts to replace the parmesan, but that's optional too.Replace the kale with spinach
Which is also very nutritious and I think has a much milder flavour than kale.Nut-free
Replace the cashews with the same amount of sunflower seeds.Different nuts
This is also great made with pine nuts, or walnuts or almonds too.Ways to eat it...
- As a delicious, nourishing dip. It often features in my kids lunch boxes (the nut free version) with raw veggie sticks.
- Mixed through pasta or zucchini noodles (for a grain and gluten free option). Add a little extra olive oil to the pesto to coat the pasta evenly and I also often toss through some chopped tomato to create a special meal. A pesto noodle salad is great for school lunch boxes.
- With Quinoa or brown rice for added flavour and nutrition.
- Use as a dressing to liven up steamed veggies or create a special salad. Mix one tablespoon of pesto with one tablespoon of olive oil and a little extra lemon juice (if you like) and mix through the vegies or salad leaves.
- In a sandwich or on toast (with avocado - yum). Add a poached egg for a protein hit!
- Spread over grilled haloumi.
- In a tuna vegetable bake or a casserole.
- Over grilled or BBQ'd meat or fish.
- On top of a slice of tomato and slice of buffalo mozzarella i.e. Caprese style.
- On pizza.
- In a jacket potato or mixed through diced potatoes for an exciting potato salad
- I could go on and on here…you are only limited by your imagination. Any Mediterranean flavoured meal will suit a blob of this nourishing Basil pesto.