Quick & Easy Basil Pesto (Gluten & dairy free)
This pesto is delicious, quick and easy to make and inexpensive because it uses sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts. It goes great on everything from pasta to eggs to pizza or bruschetta. We often scramble this into a morning egg dish or put a scoop on top of fried eggs. It goes great with chicken in any dish as well as with beef. Try the Beef Pesto Spaghetti recipe or create your own pesto dish. I like to double or even triple the pesto recipe because it freezes super easily and then it's ready to go for multiple meals.
Ingredients
- 4 oz fresh basil
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon (about 1/6 cup)
- About 1/8 cup +/- roasted, salted sunflower seeds
- 1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
Directions
- Combine the basil, oregano, garlic, and sunflower seeds in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add oil and lemon juice and blend until fully incorporated. Add more oil if it's still chunky.
- Add more lemon juice to taste.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- If using immediately, pulse until smooth.
- If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle a little extra oil and lemon juice over the top & freeze for up to 3 months.
Meal Idea
- Grilled chicken
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- All on a bed of arugula greens
- Topped with pesto
- Side salad (pictured rainbow beet, mint salad)
Goodies In this Recipe
Basil-To list a few, basil is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cancer-fighter, pain-reducer, diabetes-preventer, detoxifier, stress-hormone reducer and immune-booster.
Oregano-Oregano contains essential nutrients including vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium, and potassium. It also has anti-inflammatory as well as being a well known anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Oregano also gives pesto that delicious bite that parmesan cheese gives you without having to add any dairy to your meal.