Kid-Approved & Dairy Free Basil Pesto

Kid-Approved & Dairy-Free Basil Pesto

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Therapeutic Holistic Nutrition Consultant supporting people of all ages to heal digestive issues and regain gut microbiome after yeast, bacteria, viral, and parasitic infections.

Originally published on July 20, 2017.

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 …. what we don’t eat in a couple days goes in the freezer for the 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 …. see below for recipe.

Dairy-Free Basil Pesto

Makes: you tell me, I keep forgetting to make a note.

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 in ice cube trays (pour olive oil over each cube) or tiny containers.
• A safe recipe for stage 1 and 2 of Body Ecology Diet.

May all bellies be happy!