Source: Rachel DeBoer
Ingredients
2 cups
fresh basil leaves, spinach, arugula or a combination 2
small cloves garlic 3 tablespoons
lemon juice (add a tablespoon at a time, to taste) 1⁄2 cup
olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon
sea salt (adjust to taste) 4 tablespoons
hemp hearts, raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds (up to a ¼ cup) 2 tablespoons
nutritional yeast (adds a "cheesy" flavor - optional)Instructions
Add the leafy greens, garlic cloves, and olive oil to a small blender. Puree until smoothe.
Add the salt, seeds of choice, and nutritional yeast (if using), and pulse to incorporate, until it reaches desired texture. If using this pesto as a dressing, you may want to add more liquid (such as a splash of water), or if it is a thicker spread, add more seeds.
Flavor balance with lemon juice, adding 1 tablespoon at a time until desired level of acidity is reached to balance the fat from the seeds and the oil. Lemon juice helps preserve the green color of the basil leaves which are prone to quick oxidation. Add additional salt if needed. (Recipe♦352)