Creamy Basil and Avocado Pesto

Stole a pesto my heart! OK, sorry (not sorry). All bad jokes and puns aside, I declare this to be the creamiest, dairy-free pesto I’ve ever tried. Why? Thanks to avocado, that miracle worker which takes the place of cheese and rocks it! I’ve been making basil, Romano cheese and walnut pesto for years; yet I never thought of adding avocado to the mix -until one fateful day… my NYC friend, Chef Carla, sent me a recipe from EatingWell. I’ve modified the proportions a bit; but the same idea holds: basil, avocado, walnuts, fresh lemon, garlic and pink sea salt. Oh, and a food processor!

You guys: food processors are life-changing. If you’re looking to start making healthier meals and treats, I can’t state this enough. The best use of $60-100 dollars, ever. OR, if you have a high-powered blender, you can totally use that instead. Bottom line; they’re probably the hardest working kitchen appliances when you take the leap and start cooking for yourself and your family. DO it. You can thank me later! 😉

Anywho…. you all know pasta pulls some serious heart strings for this girl. I would say the hardest part about giving up dairy was missing on that slice of pizza with the cheesy pull on it. Or the cozy bowl of pasta that melts in your mouth. You’ve recently seen me share a number of pretty pasta recipes so there’s definitely that nostalgia kick. Going back to basics, but redefining them. Making them as good as you remember them to be, but with real food ingredients I can enjoy.

So, give this little recipe a try! Perfect for date night, kid-friendly (they like the fun in green noodles), or just a delicious quick dinner, in general. I love to add fresh minced garlic and the juice of 1 lemon because, friends, they REALLY do amp up the flavor stakes!

Servings: 10
Time: 10 mins
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Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh basil *or parsley ( I prefer basil!)
2 ripe avocados (if smaller avocados, use 3)
1/3 cup of hemp hearts
handful of raw walnuts or almonds
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

*You’ll need a food processor or high-speed blender for the sauce

For the Sweet Sautéed Tomatoes

2-3 whole organic tomatoes chopped into thick cubes
1 tsp of agave or raw honey
red pepper flakes, optional
1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the pesto, remove the basil leaves from stems. Make sure you don’t process the stems. Throw everything into your food processor, except for the extra virgin olive oil. This one comes in at the end. Pulse until finely chopped and then add the oil gradually through the hole at the top of the processor. When it’s a smooth/thick paste- it’s ready.
Top and toss over your favorite pasta. I used brown rice penne for this recipe. The pesto is best enjoyed at room temperature, if you heat it up our put it in the fridge it gets dark because of the avocado. I always enjoy it same-day or next day at best.
For the sautéed tomatoes, warm up the olive oil in a skillet on high/medium heat. Add the tomatoes and stir until softened. You could also add white or yellow onions. Mix in the agave or raw honey and stir. Top with chilli flakes.