Perfect Basil Pesto

March 6, 2015
Cuisine
Course

This is another one of those recipes that you will love to eat, but hate to make if you are one of those people that needs exact measurements in order to participate.  But fear not!  Its easy…I just feel that making pesto is one of those things that requires a lot of playing around to get the flavor right.  Don’t be shy to make a mess and do lots of tasting.  You’ll be thankful that you did in the long run…because it will taste exactly the way you want it to.  Feel free to leave comments and ask questions – I’ll be happy to come to your rescue if you have any doubts!  Have fun!


Ingredients

  • 1 Cup
    Walnuts
  • 1 Cup
    Pine nuts
  • 3 Cups
    Fresh basil (loose)
  • 2 Cups
    Olive oil
  • 5
    Cloves of Garlic
  • 2-3
    Big handfuls of baby spinach

Instructions

  1. Spinach, you ask? Well, not only is this a great way to sneak a little extra nutrition into your pesto, it also helps keep it green longer! As you may know, basil starts to turn brown really quickly once its chopped up, so by adding spinach, you will enhance the color and the nutritional value as well!

  2. Start by chopping the nuts and garlic in your food processor. Add a little oil at a time to help lubricate everything. Once you have chopped them all pretty fine (I mean, you aren't looking for walnut and pine nut butter here, but if you've had pesto before, you should know what the consistency should be.), start adding the basil and spinach. You don't have to use all the spinach - just keep tasting as you go to make sure you aren't losing the basil and garlic flavor, but that you still have the bright green color. I sometimes add a little fresh lemon juice (just a squeeze!) and fresh sea salt as well. If you want to get really creative, throw in some vegan parmasean cheese, too!

  3. So basically, the idea here is to keep blending and tasting until you are happy with the flavor and consistency. Once you have finished, enjoy it with fresh bread, veggies, or throw it on some vegan pizza! Make sure you store it in a air-tight container so it stays fresh longer. Enjoy!

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