Basil Pesto
Easy to Make
Cut fresh basil stems just before it flowers. 3 nodes up from bottom of stem. 2 new stems will generate and you will have fresh basil all season! don't buy the basil plants in the grocery store they don't last. Buy them from the garden section of your local hardware store.
The obvious choice is tossing pesto with pasta, but your options don’t end there. Spoon it over a Caprese salad, top it onto a grain bowl, scoop it onto spaghetti squash or mac and cheese, or incorporate it into this yummy zucchini casserole. We love it on polenta and homemade pizza, too. It’s even great on scrambled eggs! Do you have a favorite way to use pesto? Let me know in the comments!
Source:
http://www.loveandlemons.com/pesto-recipe
Ingredients:
½ cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups basil leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for a smoother pesto
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
Add the basil and pulse until combined.
With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.
Notes:
Swap out the pine nuts for any nut of your choice! I particularly like walnuts, almonds, and pistachios.
Make nut-free pesto by using pepitas or hemp seeds.
Use a different herb. Try replacing the basil with mint, cilantro, or parsley!
Or fewer herbs. Replace half the basil with 1 cup arugula, kale, or chopped zucchini. For a punchier twist, pulse in 4 artichoke hearts, a roasted red pepper, or half an avocado instead of half the basil.
Don’t let your veggie stems go to waste. Blanch 1/2 cup kale stems and blend them into pesto in place of half the basil.
Punch up the flavor! Add 2 to 4 sun dried tomatoes, a charred jalapeño, nutritional yeast, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.