Super Simple Garden Recipes: Pesto

Get creative with tasty combinations!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups fresh basil leaves (can dilute with 1/2 spinach, kale, chard, broccoli leaves, mizuna, arugula, etc.)

• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (omit if freezing and add later instead)

• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, or nuts of your choice.

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Process basil, cheese, and garlic in food processor. Meanwhile, toast nuts on low in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.

2. Add oil, nuts, and a pinch of salt to food processor and process until smooth. Taste and add more oil, garlic, and/or salt as needed.

3. Toss with pasta, add flavor to a sandwich, mix with tomato sauce for a tasty pizza, or freeze in ice cube trays for later!

*You can also preserve fresh herbs, like basil, by chopping them in a food processor along with some oil and freezing them in ice cube trays and then storing them in freezer bags. Then, at a later time, you can thaw small portions to make dressings or even add to a pan to make warm dishes.