Get Creative with Pesto

What is Pesto?

Basil, parmesan, and olive oil, right? But, pesto can be so much more. Imagine if you could use any herb, or any nut, and choose a different oil for flavor nuances - how many pesto combinations could you come up with?

I had to do this the other day when I had zero basil growing, but my arugula had formed a lawn across my vegetable box. I didn't have any pine nuts, so my pesto became a way to use up my arugula, walnuts, and parmesan rind. It was delicious and I figured out a way to sneak more herbs into my kid’s diets.

Herbs are the healthiest plant foods rich in volatile oils that have endless medicinal properties and we don't eat enough of them.

Nuts have protein, fat, and fiber all in a single food! The fat in nuts is especially beneficial for cardiovascular health, hormonal health, and brain & nervous system health. Combining these two powerful ingredients into a delicious sauce is an easy way to increase the medicinal power of your meal.

Pesto Ingredients

Originally from the northern region of Italy, pesto comes from the Italian word pestare meaning to grind or to crush. Most pesto is served on pasta, but I love it on mini pizzas, fish, soups, and a fresh Caprese salad.

The traditional Pesto alla Genovese is the basil pesto that typically comes to mind. It’s green, delicious, and wonderful when you have fresh basil. But what about when you don’t have basil? Here are some flavor categories to get you started.

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Health Benefits of Each Ingredient

Assemble Your Pesto

Now that you have picked out your base ingredients, let’s consider some flavor options. Think outside the box like you are making a little salsa, tapenade, or chunky sauce, and try to stick to a flavor combination that pairs with a region. Pesto alla Genovese works because they are all Italian flavors, but what about a more Persian style with walnut, parsley, lime, and mint?

The best ideas will include 3 to 5 flavors from: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, pungent, and umami.

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Traditional pesto is bashed in a mortar and pestle, but you can pull out that dusty food processor from your wedding gifts or a high-powered blender. Start with the herbs, layer on the heavier nuts, and add some liquid citrus, but remember to save the olive oil until the end because over-blending it can bring out bitter notes in the flavor. Gently pulse until you reach the consistency you prefer and store it in the fridge for up to a week - if it lasts that long.

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Pesto Recipes

If creating your own pesto recipe is daunting, here are a few recipes to try:

Nom Nom Paleo has a great almond, arugula, and caper pesto: Arugula Pesto Recipe.
This Sun Dried Tomato Pesto from Simply Quinoa is dairy-free and uses sundried tomatoes, basil, and nutritional yeast.
The Clever Meal’s Mint Pesto is loaded with cashews for a creamy texture.

Buon appetito!

Let us know which combination you tried and how you used it! We would love to hear from you!

Please reach out if you would like to receive personalized recommendations on how to make your foods work for you.

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