When I started posting photos of my Whole30 meals, I wasn’t expecting much of a response. It’s just food. Well, apparently food is something people enjoy seeing photos of. Who knew??
And then, people started asking for my recipes. So I’m going to share! Give the people what they want, right? I’m a huge fan of pasta. I’m Italian! Of course I love pasta…but it’s a big, big no-no on The Whole30.
I’m also a huge, huge, huge (did I mention HUGE?) fan of pesto. I actually could just eat nothing but pesto and be totally and completely happy. Except that traditional pesto has aged parmesan as one of the main ingredients. Dairy products are on the big NO list.
But, I love a challenge, so I started to experiment with my favorite recipe. My preferred type of pesto, and the one I use most often, is basil pesto. This is the type of pesto that you’ve probably had in restaurants and out of a jar. You can make other types, but there’s just something about fresh basil….
That is a fresh basil plant. ⤵
You can buy them at Trader Joe’s, like I do, or you can easily grow basil in your window sill. I happen to be a big fan of basil, but I kind of suck as a gardener.
It’s sad, because I actually enjoy gardening…and my mom has an amazingly green thumb. So does my dad…and my brother. I guess I just got gifted in the writing department, and I couldn’t do both.
…at least, that’s what I tell myself. *sigh*
But, this girl can cook!
At least, most things. And so, I buy a few basil plants when I want to make pesto. I’ve tried potting them, watering them, tenting them…and I kill every.single.one.
It’s sad, really, but I‘m okay sacrificing a few basil plants in the name of delicious food.
Easy Paleo Pesto
- 1 cup fresh basil (packed down)
- 4-5 fresh garlic cloves (or you can use roasted garlic instead)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- The zest of 1 lemon
- The juice of 1 lemon
- 1/8 cup hemp oil
- 1/8 cup EVOO
- Salt and pepper to taste
Grab a heavy-bottomed skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Toast your pine nuts until fragrant, then remove them from the heat. st. Pine nuts have a small surface area and are very sensitive to heat, so be watchful. They go from brown to burnt really fa
Add all of your ingredients except the last two to your food processor, and pulse to combine. slowly drizzle in the EVOO and pulse again, adding the salt and pepper. Continue pulsing your sauce until it’s smooth and delicious.
Serve over spaghetti squash, or just eat it with a spoon!
I’m not Italian (though I think in a previous life I may have been) but I loooooooove any and all tomato based sauces… I LOVE a spicy marinara like no other!!!!
I never really got into pesto but I’ll certainly be giving this recipe a try!
Try pesto with some spicy meatballs! I was a red sauce fiend and after figuring out homemade pesto, I just have one more way to enjoy “pasta”!
Hi, Brea! Your recipes are interesting. Will check your instagram! <3
Thank you!
Love this ! I needed a easy one like this thanks !!
You’re welcome!
This looks so delicious! My only concern would be my ability to keep plants alive! LOL
I feel ya!
Oh I love pesto, thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
I will try it today for my dinner 😀
That picture with the meatballs, has me drooling over here! Is there a replacement for hemp oil? I want to try this asap! My Zucchini plant just produced it’s first fully grown Zuc. and I’m dying for some zoodles. I normally use marinara but that pesto looks amazing!
Yum! Let me know how it turns out! I adore zoodles!
I agree, basil pesto is the best! And I always make it fresh because I don’t think it tastes as good from a jar. I’m really excited about this recipe and I still really want to try spaghetti squash noodles! Thanks for sharing Brea!
I absolutely LOVE spaghetti squash! Let me know how it goes!
I am a HUGE pesto fan – but I have to admit, I have never made it without parmesan – will have to give it a go 🙂
It was surprisingly delish!
You know, it might just be your apartment/house and not even you – if plants don’t get the right amount of light and/or air, they die no matter what you do. Your pesto sounds delicious!
Really, Kat? How would I know? I would LOVE to have a little herb garden!!
Great Post!
Cynthia @craftoflaughter
This sounds really yummy!
Thank you!
YUM. I definitely need to make some of this! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Looks good! I love pesto too. My mom makes it so delicious. But, yeah, we always add parmesan cheese. Gotta try this one too, since I love vegan recipes and often cook them!
Awesome! Let me know how you like it!