Last updated on March 26, 2021 at 03:03 am
We show you how to make pesto. It is extremely quick and easy.
I make pesto every single week and for me personally it’s a way to get my kids to eat dark leafy greens and get them their ultimate dose of calcium and vitamins. They eat the pesto directly from the glass with their spoons before it even lands on their plate of pasta. They love it so much.
It’s probably because we like making it together, so they see what goes in, they are excited to get all the ingredients together and pulse the food processor.
Pesto can be a very expensive and also a cheap way to make a great meal. If you stick to the traditional ingredients, such as basil, parmesan and pine seeds, it can definitely be costly – depending where you live.
I generally use any type of green I have. Since I make nut milks, I always have nuts available. So I don’t stick with the pine seeds that are required for the traditional recipe. And instead of parmesan, I often use breadcrumbs. A tip I got from an Italian Chef.
A glass of fresh pesto is always in my fridge, just because it’s so versatile. And on top of that it’s the ultimate ingredient if you like to follow a plant-based diet.
Here are three ways you can use your glass of pesto within 1 week.
3 Ways to use 1 Glass of Homemade Pesto
1: Pasta
Thats the one dish that comes to mind immediately. Pasta and pesto. Brilliant. A winning recipe – always!
Remember to always keep a few spoons of the water you boiled your pasta in. Once you strained the pasta, put it back in your pot with a few spoons of cooking water, add 3 or 4 spoons of pesto (as per your liking) and mix. The starchy water will make your pasta sauce creamier.
2: Buddha Bowl
Another way I love my pesto is to use it for the base of any buddha bowl. For example, you can mix a few spoons of your pesto with quinoa or barley and place it at the bottom of your buddha bowl. Then you add your stir fried or steamed greens, a few nuts, a bit of tofu. Whatever topping you have in mind. It adds a great depth to the grain and makes it more interesting to eat.
3: Spread
Pesto can be used as a spice if you will. Let’s say you want a quick spread or dip for your dinner. Just add some pesto to a bowl of yoghurt to use it as a dip or mix it in your cream cheese to use as spread.
You can also keep it vegan and mix your pesto with pureed chickpeas or beans.
How to Make Pesto
#containsaffiliatelinks
Here is how I make my pesto. But careful. It’s a very freestyle and flexible recipe. Whatever greens you have in your fridge can go in this recipe.
If you want to keep it vegan, just omit the parmesan cheese and use nutritional yeast or breadcrumbs.
Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups Mixed Greens A mix of any leafy greens in your fridge such as Basil, Parsley, Ruccola (Arugula), Kale or Salad
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese If you would like to keep the recipe vegan, use Breadcrumbs instead of Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 tbsp Walnuts You can use any nut you have at home
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1 tbsp Cold Water
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Wash and rinse your greens.
- Place garlic, parmesan (or breandcrumbs) and nuts in a small food processor and pulse.
- Put your greens, the garlic-parmesan paste and salt in a bigger mixer and blend.
- Add oil and water until your pesto reaches the desired consistency.
Leave a Reply