Pesto

I love pesto. Especially fresh pesto in the summertime. This recipe is really simple, and really delicious, and I adapted it from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. Traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, but the creamy texture of cashews can replace both, which is great if you’re dairy-free or on a budget.

Ingredients

½ cup cashews

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled

1-2 tsp lemon zest

¼ - ½ tsp sea salt

3 cups tightly packed basil leaves

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Place the cashews, garlic cloves, lemon zest, and sea salt in a food processor fitted with the “s” blade. Pulse a few times until mixture is coarsely ground. Add fresh basil leaves. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil and lemon juice through the feed tube. Continue to blend until pesto is the desired consistency.