Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Ever since college I have always loved pesto, back then I was getting the big jar of Kirkland pesto and splitting it with my roommates to put on everything and anything. That was before I knew how easy it was to make.
Then one winter I studied abroad in Italy and we went to a pasta making class, we made our own pasta and pesto and I never realized how simple it was- only brazil nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil, and cheese?? Even I could do that, and I was not a very skilled cook.
Once I went on a strict Candida diet I was so discouraged about all the things that I couldn’t eat so I ate only the most bland meals. I had breakfast tacos, steamed veggies with ground taco meat, and salmon with broccoli for almost every meal, never varying it up at all. Then one day I got tired of my boring meals, and I started looking up sauces that I could add to my meals to make them more exciting.
Then it dawned on me that I could make my own pesto, I knew how simple the ingredients were and I had a blender, what more could I need. I could just omit the cheese, use nutritional yeast instead, and I would be golden. As many of you know, I have multiple loved ones who are allergic to nuts, so I try to make as much as possible without nuts, and pesto was no exception. First I tried to make it without the nuts, still the same great taste but the texture wasn’t exactly what I wanted, it was loose and watery. Then I tried flax seeds, it was still delicious but the texture was thick and paste-like. Finally I was roaming the seed aisle and decided to take a shot at pumpkin seeds. They made the perfect pesto texture without adding an overpowering flavor.
One of my worst traits is that I love to recipe test but I hate to measure out my ingredients. I had been making my pumpkin seed pesto for almost a year before actually measuring out the ingredients. One of the positives is that each batch of pesto was different, each delicious in their own unique way. But instead of continue that trend I measured out my ingredients one day so I could spread the wealth.
I hope this pumpkin seed pesto will satisfy the nut-free and dairy-free people in your life the way it did mine!
What You’ll Need:
fresh basil leaves
olive oil
pumpkin seeds
nutritional yeast
garlic powder
salt
Water
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
½ cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
Water to desired consistency
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to nutri bullet or blender and blend
Add water as needed and blend until pesto is at your desired consistency