Magic Pesto (Real Food, Paleo, Whole30, Nut Free, Vegan)

Pesto is magic. It is such a simple sauce and so versatile, it needs to be in your cooking arsenal for quick dinners, to add a punch of flavor to simply prepared foods and salads or to simply to increase your street cred.

Traditional pesto is always made with pine nuts. And since I rarely have pine nuts on hand, I used raw pumpkins seeds because I ALWAYS have raw pumpkin seeds around.

Since I am also omitting the standard cheese, I knew I had to dial the recipe up with plenty of flavorful ingredients, which for me, means garlic. Lots of garlic. I love strong tasting foods and this pesto is it!

I usually like to serve this pesto alongside some scrambled eggs, a grilled chicken or steak salad. My daughter prefer zero food alongside her pesto and a big spoon. Pesto is amazing when mixed with a bit of homemade mayo for a speedy dressing, or to tossed with some drained wild-caught tuna for a quick salad. Pesto is magic!

Magic Pesto

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled (less cloves for a milder tasting pesto - I use 4-5)
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 oz basil, stems removed, rinsed and dried (I used a salad spinner)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup avocado oil (plus more, as needed)
juice of 1 1/2 lemons

In a food processor fitted with a S-blade, grind the pumpkin seeds, garlic and salt together until coarsely chopped. Add the cleaned basil and pulse the machine a few times until the basil is chopped.

With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive and avocado oil and lemon juice. Run the machine until the ingredients are well combined.

Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more oil (or water), as needed, for a thinner sauce.

Use immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto (to prevent browning).

Comments

Slow Cooker Menudo (Real Food, Paleo, Whole30, AIP Friendly)

Menudo , or tripe soup, is a traditional soup commonly served on a Sunday morning. It is considered labor-intensive since it requires a very long cooking time, so it started the night before any plans to eat it, or made for special occasions. Due to its nourishing collagen-packed broth and mineral-rich protein, it has a cult following for those wishing to get rid of the Saturday night hangover! I remember my dad being the one prepping the tripe at night and I remember someone getting up during the night at various times to check on the pot of soup bubbling on the stove. I also remember becoming a teenager and deciding I no longer would eat organ meats! So I even gave up on all the other delicious ones, like tender beef tongue and beef cheeks. I also happily gave up the ones I never liked - like liver and mushy brains. Yes, brains...... As an adult, I decided being an adventurous eater was much more fun and I incorporated liver back in my diet. ...

Water Kefir Agua Fresca, Two Ways (Paleo, Real Food)

Mexico is the land of aguas frescas. Agua fresh, literally means fresh water, and it refers to traditional fresh fruit and/or veggie drinks. Aguas frescas are usually single-ingredient drinks, such as an agua de limon (a lime-ade), agua de pi ñ a (pineapple) or my favorite: agua de tamarindo (tamarind drink). And some aguas are simple combos such as a lime and cucumber agua fresca. Interestingly, the lime and cucumber flavor is usually made with nutrient-dense chia seeds and is recommended for a healthy digestion. Walk down most streets, especially those around or in the town square, and you may find a vendor or two serving a variety of aguas frescas out of huge glass containers. The drinks are then served in a plastic baggie with a straw, which is great while exploring the town! During market day or special event, vendors multiply and make it hard to choose between tables of colorful options! I spent three weeks in Mexico last month and indulged in...

Easy Slow Cooker Pickled Jalapeno Peppers (Real Food, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan)

Man, are these good! Pickled jalapenos, also known as chiles in escabeche, are peppers pickled with vinegar and spices I love how easy it is to make a large batch of these jalapenos and they will happily sit in the refrigerator for weeks. Why make your own? Store-bought peppers tend to contain additives that are unnecessary. Below is the list of ingredients to the readily available La Costena brand of pickled jalapeno peppers: Ingredients: jalapeno peppers, water, onions, carrots, vinegar, iodized salt, spices and soybean oil. Personally, I avoid all things soy because soy is the complete opposite of a wonder food . And Embasa brand of pickled jalapenos also contains added sugar . Oh, those sneaky food manufacturers! Canned jalapeno peppers also tend to taste flat and well, canned. My home-pickled peppers taste fresh and vibrant and delicious. And, I love to use the yummy brine in a ton of other things, such as salad dressings, m...

Holistic Instincts

Search This Blog