Basil Pesto: Kid-Approved & Dairy Free

Basil Pesto: Kid-Approved & Dairy-Free

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutritional support for people on The Body Ecology Diet.

Originally published on July 20, 2017.

Here in Vermont, we grow basil in the garden through to mid-September. There is nothing like fresh, sun-warmed basil wrapped in a sandwich roll-up or around a crisp cucumber! I dry a bunch for the spice jar too. Mostly though I make pesto; whatever we don’t eat in a couple days goes into the freezer for coming winter when vibrant green pesto is most welcome:)

My youngest is dairy-free and as a family we practice Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) which avoids pine-nuts and Parmesan …. below is our recipe.

Dairy-Free Basil Pesto

Makes: you tell me, I keep forgetting to notice!!

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

½ cup soaked almonds or pumpkin seeds

2/3 cup cold-pressed olive oil or flax oil, divided

Sea salt, to taste

Method

1. Place all ingredients into a small blender or food processor.
2. Blend until you get texture you like, we like smooth and creamy.

Tips & Tricks

• Substitute a teaspoon of umeboshi plum vinegar for the salt.
• Add in fresh calendula or nasturtium flowers.
• Like pesto on sour side? Add 2-3 squeezes of lemon or serve with lemon wedge.
• Drizzle olive oil on top to maintain bright green color.
• Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 4 days.
• Or, freeze into ice cube trays (pour olive oil over each cube) or tiny containers.
• A safe recipe for stage 1 and 2 of Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

Pumpkin Seed Butter

How My Family Takes Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Nutrition Consults with Tara, NC.

May all bellies be happy!