Nut and Dairy Free Pesto

Before we entered the land of dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and nut free cuisine, I use to make pesto all the time. I really loved the taste of ground nuts, basil and cheese in an olive oil base. Sigh…my mouth still waters when I think about the flavors. After 8 years, I decided it was time to make an allergy safe version for my family to enjoy. Afterall, having allergies shouldn’t mean a life of deprivation but instead it should be a life of creativity, colors and flavors.

Ingredients:

1 Packed Cup of Fresh Basil
4 TBS of Roasted Sunflower (or Pumpkin) Seeds
1 TBS Nutritional Yeast
1 Tsp. Fresh Garlic (Minced)
1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Pink Sea Salt
Lemon Juice of a Whole Lemon (approx. 2 TBS.)
4 Tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 Tsp. of Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together into a blender, pulse a few times till it is the desired consistency. I usually like to give it a full min to make sure all the seeds are chopped up into the sauce. I am not one for crunchy pesto. 😀

Makes 3 servings