My Homemade Basil Pesto and Basil Pesto Pasta. My cousin bugged me to try to cook this pasta last week but since we couldn't find any store with available basil leaves I wasn't able to try.
This pasta is Dairy free because I am trying to lessen my cheese intake nowadays. My skin is reacting in a terrible way every time I drink milk and eat cheese.
I read articles and recipe about dairy free pasta specially dairy free basil pesto until I stumbled upon this website Adventure of a gluten free ; the blogger has a number of dairy free and gluten free recipes and I am starting to love her blog.
I tried to make my own Basil Pesto using the ingredients indicated. I have asthma so I used Pumpkin seeds instead of peanuts.
Basil Pesto (Dairy Free)
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
1/3 cup Pine Nuts or Walnuts (or perhaps raw sunflower seeds for those who are tree nut-free?)
3 medium Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. fresh squeezed Lemon Juice (more or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
PROCEDURE:
- In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves with the nuts (or seeds), lemon juice and sea salt. Pulse a few times until mixture is reduced in volume and the mixture is well incorporated.
- Add the garlic and pulse a few times more.
- Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the blender or food processor is running, stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Taste. Add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.
- Serve with pasta, chicken, shrimp, scallops, grilled vegetables.
These are the Ingredients I used. I'm very lucky because I always have Lemon. I still drink my Lemon Water Detox every morning.
This Extra Virgin Olive Oil came from my Aunt and Uncle who work in Italy. My cousin April is their daughter. I like using Olive oil in my food.
For this Pesto, I used one thick slice of Lemon. I squeezed the juice out of it. The remaining juice? I drank it. LOL
As for the garlic, it is fresh from the country side where my father bought it when he came to visit his father; my grand-father.
I used mortar and pestle to grind the Pumpkin Seeds. I exerted a lot of effort and my shoulders became very stiff.
And here's my Basil Pesto. Surprisingly, it taste GREAT!
This is my lunch. I toasted a slice of white bread and spread a teaspoon of Basil Pesto onto the top. I sliced one Tomato and shredded some Iceburg Lettuce and tossed a garlic ranch. Voila! Yummy Lunch!
If somebody will visit me and ask me to cook for them I will be very glad to do so. My cousin Jennifer will visit this May so I will cook this again. :)
Happy Eating! Feel free to try!
Sincerely,
Erica/Erix
