Pistachio Basil Pesto

We returned home to a bursting-from-its-seems garden. (Here’s what our garden is like this year.) And by that I mean we have a ton of tiny tomatoes and basil that we need to use up ASAP. Good thing those are two of my favorite ingredients -- right?

Now, you guys know all about my love affair with pesto.

Let’s review:

• Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
• Creamy Pesto + Avocado Sauce (video)
• Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways
• Steamed Pesto Dumplings
• Pesto Pizza Dough
• Spinach + Zucchini Pesto
• Baby Kale Pesto
• Walnut Basil Pesto
• Basil-Pesto French Toast
• Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
• Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
• Pesto Garlic Knots
• Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
• (Pesto) Smothered Mother

PISTACHIO PESTO

What you’ll need . . .

• 1 cup clean basil leaves
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• Squeeze lemon juice
• ground black pepper

Method . . .

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. I used roasted/salted pistachios and took them out of their shells for this recipe. 
3. Also: I didn’t add salt because the nuts were already salted.
4. I also rinsed the basil and then pat it dry with paper towels. I didn’t cook the basil, though. Left it raw.
5. You can play around with the oil to make your pesto dryer or runnier. It’s a preference thing.
6. You might also have success using some nutritional yeast in place of the cheese.

Enjoy!

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An Ode to Sandwiches

Oh man, oh man. We were not expecting what we found in the house inspection last week. The place we had our hearts set on ended up being way more than we could handle with regard to DIY. In fact, it ended up being somewhat of an unsafe environment. So, we're waiting on pins and needles to hear the results of the inspection on our home to see if everything is going to run smoothly now that we've found yet another house we love.

Anyway, I have so much I want to share about food these days. But I also realize I'm going to have to buy a new camera charger because mine is long gone! Enough apologies. I have a goal.

By the end of the summer, I'd like to be able to make my favorite sandwich -- tomato, pesto, mozzarella on sourdough -- from scratch. I know I could likely do it sooner, but with everything going on right now, I'll wait to earn my badge in cheese-making.

Well, I also likely won't have tomatoes from my own garden this year, so maybe I'll use one from a friend's garden. But I'd say we eat this simple sandwich once a week. It's sort of our weekend treat. The one time we go to Wegmans.

And I'll tell you what -- after shopping (and saving!) at Aldi for so long, going to Wegmans is an out-of-this-world experience. With some time away, I can totally, TOTALLY see why I always over-spend there.

This sandwich will require:

#1. // Some simple sourdough bread, and I'll need to begin from scratch with a new starter. This time around, I'd like to use the wild grapes method.

#2. // A ball of homemade mozzarella cheese. I've been wanting to make my own cheese for quite some time. It's one of my favorite foods, and I've read that mozzarella is a great gateway cheese.

#3. // A batch of one of my many pesto sauces. Though for this sandwich, I'd probably go with a classic basil pesto. I can't wait to start getting all that basil in our farm share. I'm going to promptly make pesto and freeze. I swear we eat some every single day!


I guess I'll get bonus points if we can also make a batch of beer and some black and white cookies. Right? Stephen is itching to brew again -- especially now that we might potentially have more space to sprawl out and store his creations. (Have you checked out our homebrewing section yet?)

// SANDWICHES = AMAZING

Regardless, sandwiches are my favorite food:

• French Toast Brunch Sandwich
• Vegan Spiedie Wrap
• Hickory Smoked Seitan Sandwich
• Avocado Egg Salad
• Marinaded Mozzarella Sandwich
• Vegetarian Reuben
• Open-Faced Asparagus + Tofu Sandwich
• Vegan New Luther Sandwich*
• Black Bean-Tempeh Burgers*
• Vegan Churchkey New Luther MEGA Sandwich*
• Black Bean-Spinach Burgers*
• Caprese Sandwich
• Moosewood Asparagus Melt
• The Ultimate Vegetarian Sandwich
• The Ultimate Stuffed Veggie Burger
• Open-Face Portabella Sandwich
• Vegan Sloppy Joes*
• Green Hummus Sandwich
• Apple-Cheese Bagel Sandwich
• Chickpea Burgers*
• Vegetarian Juicy Lucy
• Veggie Behemoth: The Lover Sandwich
• High Maintenance Melt
• Mayo-Less Egg Salad
• Black Bean Burgers*
• Fire-Grilled Camp Sandwich
• Gourmet Grilled Pizza
• Hummus Melts
• Seitan Dogs, Part I: The Dogs*
• Seitan Dogs, Part II: Toppings

* means VEGAN

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Spinach Zucchini Pesto with Walnuts

Continuing with our zucchini theme this week -- I bet you didn't think I could possibly have another pesto recipe up my sleeve. Pesto has definitely become my favorite spread over the last several years. And ever since I discovered I could make it without any cooking or basil or whatever else I used to use with more traditional recipes -- I've been mixing it up weekly.

This is a great recipes to make with leftover zucchini and spinach!

ZUCCHINI PESTO
Use up veggie leftovers in this zesty pesto!

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 medium zucchini (about 1-1/2 cups grated)
• 1/2 cup spinach (you could sub in other greens, like kale, too)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese*
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• salt + pepper to taste
• water to achieve desired consistency

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients -- except water -- in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Then add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

* Vegans can experiment with using nutritional yeast to substitute. I would have done it, but we're out + have some parmesan leftover.


In all, this recipe mixes up about 2 cups of pesto. We used ours in some delicious Pumpkin Pesto Rolls last night. Today we might use the rest atop pizza. It's tasty spread on sandwiches, in French toast, and so on.

// ALSO TRY

Vegan + Gluten Free Zucchini Burgers
Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Pesto + Avocado Sauce (Video!)
Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways
Steamed Pesto Dumplings
Pesto Pizza Dough
Baby Kale Pesto
Walnut Basil Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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Pesto + Avocado Sauce // Cooking Video

Sauces can make or break a dish, am I right? For example, we've been making a lot of quesadillas with beans, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc. -- but without the salsa and Greek yogurt (which we use instead of buying additional sour cream to save $), it's just not as interesting.

I think you've gathered by now that pesto is my all-time favorite spread. Plus, it's so easy to make. I used to go with more complicated recipes, but over the years, I've discovered that the simpler the better.

I gave you guys a similar recipe for pesto in our Lentil + Quinoa Burgers post, except that time I had used baby kale versus spinach. Today I wanted to simplify it even more -- seriously, this recipe takes just 5 minutes to mix together and will spice up a variety of meals from burgers to pizza to pasta.

Here's how it's made -- no cooking or roasting, just blending:


// 5-MINUTE SPINACH PESTO

Combine the following ingredients in your food processor until smooth.

• 2 (heaping) handfuls fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• salt + pepper, to taste

// CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO SAUCE

Then I took half of that pesto and blended it even more with the flesh of one avocado and a few more tablespoons water until I made this creamy, alfredo-like sauce. It's great spread onto some toast or on the side with homemade quesadillas (I literally just licked some off my fingers before typing this post).

Or you can just coat a bit of pasta in it.

Maybe serve with a fried egg.

Definitely some salsa.

And Sriracha?


// GREEN PASTA WITH EGG

• Cook pasta to the package directions. These shells boiled for 30 minutes. Then I drained and rinsed them so they cooled off a bit.
• Then scoop a couple tablespoons of your green sauce onto them and mix around until well coated.
• Fry an egg (or make it any style you like best) and place atop the pasta.
• Top with salsa and Sriracha sauce, or whatever other condiments you want on there.
• Enjoy!

Basically, this Avocado + Pesto mix is your new favorite sauce.

Period.

If you'd like to make the pesto first -- I'd even freeze half of it (so 1/2 cup of pesto for later use) by either placing it in a plastic bag and freezing flat or even putting it in an ice cube tray for smaller chunks.

OTHER PESTO RECIPES

Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways
Steamed Pesto Dumplings
Pesto Pizza Dough
Baby Kale Pesto
Walnut Basil Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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Lentil + Quinoa Burgers // Baby Kale Pesto

I decided over the weekend that we had enough food in the fridge to skip grocery shopping this week.  I like to skip from time to time to save money and use up foods we might otherwise let go to waste. Surely I could come up with some tasty meals for us -- but (MISTAKE!) I didn't do much planning. As a result, we've had some horrible, unsatisfying dinners this week.

Like one night we were going to do breakfast for dinner. We both like our eggs over-easy and only 1 of the 4 eggs didn't break into a hot mess on the stove. And then one night I was grumpy and hadn't eaten well all day, so I made myself a pitiful grilled cheese with a bruised apple on the side. Another night, we got takeout and the takeout place forgot half our order.

Here's how I made up for it last night:

CURRIED LENTIL + QUINOA BURGERS
makes 10-12 generously sized burgers

What You'll Need . . . 

• 1 cup red lentils (uncooked) + 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup red quinoa (uncooked) + 3/4 cup water
• 1 can white beans (or any, really), drained + rinsed + mashed
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 2 large white mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup dry roasted almonds, pulsed into coarse flour
• 1/2 cup golden flax meal
• salt + pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder

Method . . .

1. Cook your red lentils (or any lentils) in the water until softened. Like 30-45 minutes or so. Do the same with the quinoa, but it only takes around 15 minutes. For both, simply put in the water and boil until water is absorbed. Then combine the two and set aside.
2. Smash your beans with a fork and set aside with your pot of lentils + quinoa.
3. Then in a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté your onion, pepper, and mushrooms with some olive oil. Long enough to soften and lightly brown them. The smaller you chop the veggies the better.
4. Let everything cool a bit until it's warm, but not too hot to handle. Then combine everything together by hand until well mixed.
5. Divide into 10-12 patties -- I used a 1/2 cup measure to scoop the to-be "burgers" into my palm and then shaped/flattened them.
6. Place on a plate or cookie sheet and put in your fridge for around an hour to set.
7. Then in a pan over medium-high heat, cook on each side in a little olive oil until golden brown and warmed the whole way through.
8. You may also follow the directions in my Freezer Veggie Burgers post to freeze some of this batch for later consumption.

// FIXINGS

• I topped each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for a few minutes by covering the pan I fried in the burgers in with a lid.
• Sriracha. Enough said.
• I made my own buns (6 of them in all) in just 40 minutes by adapting this easy bun recipe -- instead of an egg, I used 1 tablespoon golden flax meal + 3 tablespoons hot water. Instead of regular flour, I used mostly whole wheat with a little white mixed in.
• I also topped with some homemade pesto, using a variation of our simple Spinach Pesto recipe, as I'll detail below.

// BABY KALE PESTO

Combine the following ingredients in your food processor until smooth.

• 2 (heaping) cups fresh baby kale
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt + pepper, to taste
• Water -- to achieve desired consistency

I plan to freeze some burgers for a future night when we're stuck wondering what to make. I love that this burger doesn't have flour in it to make up the bulk -- you get enough flour with the bun, right? And it's easily adaptable to whatever's on hand.

Like I said, we didn't shop this week, so I dug deep into our cupboard to mix these guys up. I'm sure they'd taste great with black beans, and any color quinoa or lentils under the rainbow. The taste and theme could be considerably changed by exchanging, say, curry for chipotle seasoning, etc.

Quite a redemption dinner!

// MORE SANDWICHES + BURGERS:

• Black Bean-Tempeh Burgers*
• Vegan Churchkey New Luther MEGA Sandwich*
• Black Bean-Spinach Burgers*
• Caprese Sandwich
• Moosewood Asparagus Melt
• The Ultimate Vegetarian Sandwich
• The Ultimate Stuffed Veggie Burger
• Open-Face Portabella Sandwich
• Vegan Sloppy Joes*
• Green Hummus Sandwich
• Apple-Cheese Bagel Sandwich
• Chickpea Burgers*
• Vegetarian Juicy Lucy
• Veggie Behemoth: The Lover Sandwich
• High Maintenance Melt
• Mayo-Less Egg Salad
• Black Bean Burgers*
• Fire-Grilled Camp Sandwich
• Gourmet Grilled Pizza
• Hummus Melts
• Seitan Dogs, Part I: The Dogs*
• Seitan Dogs, Part II: Toppings

* means VEGAN

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Pumpkin Deep Dish Pizza

I've regained my appetite (good sign) + the food must go on! I stay sane by stepping into the kitchen to cook. We've been enjoying our freezer meals, but I've made stuff from scratch more than I intended to this month simply because I needed that time to think. To knead dough and zone out. Those of you who love cooking and baking understand. Kitchen therapy for the win!

So, it started way back when with pumpkin garlic knots then pumpkin pizza then pumpkin pesto rolls. Now I'm dishing up deep dish pizza with a new crust recipe that lends better to this style dish. I've made three different variations, and this is the one that has worked the best. If I haven't yet convinced you to try pumpkin in your dough, this might be the time to trust me.

For those of you new to my favorite crust: Why put pureed pumpkin in place of water? Is it just jumping on the fall trend train? Nope. It adds nutrition, obviously, but also a great moisture content and more complex flavor.

I could just be crazy, though. Probably.

PUMPKIN DEEP DISH CRUST
enough for two 10 inch pies

What you'll need . . .

• 1 package yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup warm water 
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (or homemade)
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 cups bread flour (give/take)
• 2 teaspoons salt

Method . . .

1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast with the water and let proof (get frothy). 
2. Then add in the pumpkin puree, oil, and maple syrup. Whisk well until totally combined. 
3. Fold in the flour and salt and eventually work to kneading with your hands for several minutes. Start with 1-1/2 cups flour and work up to more until you form an elastic, non-sticky ball. 
4. Then place back in the bowl, drizzle with some olive oil, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise for 2 hours. 
5. Punch down, divide into two balls -- use one per pizza. Dough stores in the refrigerator for two days or freeze it for a month.

// DEEP DISHIN'

To make deep dish pizza -- you flip your notions about this dish upside down. The cheese actually goes on FIRST and is then covered with sauce of your choice.

Whoa.

• Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F. Lightly oil a 10" (or 8" if you want a lot of crust overlap) pan. I used a springform pan for a few of the pizzas and like how it worked better than a standard cake pan. Just my preference!
• Take your dough and press it into the pan, distributing evenly and working up the sides almost like you'd do for a pie crust.
• Start with a layer of provolone cheese covering the entire bottom. This will help keep the crust beneath from turning soggy. Then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
• Add a layer of sauce just a bit thicker than you'd normally use on a traditional pizza. You want to cover the cheese below, but not drown it.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan or other cheese and then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until edges are browned and cheese is melted (you can cut to check).
• Let cool 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• It took me a few goes for my pizza to turn out "right" -- so don't be surprised if you're first try yields too-thick crust or not-crisp-enough, etc. You'll get the hang of it quickly. It's just a different animal.

What sauce you use is up to you.

Here are a few suggestions -- pesto works great, too:

• Boozy + Bold Chunky Tomato Sauce
• Grilled Kalamata Tomato Sauce
• 10-Minute Heirloom Tomato Sauce
• Butternut Squash Pizza Sauce
• Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto
• Basil-Walnut Pesto
• Spinach Pesto

The weekend is a perfect time to try out new recipes, especially pizza recipes, so I hope you'll consider this one for a go.

Happy Friday, everyone!

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Rustic + Grilled Kalamata Tomato Sauce

So, I've got my pesto pizza crust ready to go. But no sauce or tomato puree in sight. 
Oh, crap! No mozzarella either. 
A half container of ricotta left, but it'll go South starting tomorrow. 
Must use tonight. Hmm. 
Wait. What's this? I spy a sleeve of kalamata tomatoes! 
Looks like the basil plant is doing well from all the rain we've had lately, too.

Drip, drip.

Basically, you've all just taken a trip inside my head around dinnertime. I've been wanting to fire up the grill and take our pizza adventures to the great outdoors, but it seems like afternoon thunderstorms are always in my way. This weekend. It's going to be epic -- the grilled bruschetta pizza I'll make. Promise!

But in a pinch, using what we had on hand last Thursday allowed us to go beyond our usual roasted veggies and cheese-heavy pie.

BOOM!


RUSTIC (INDOOR) GRILLED TOMATO SAUCE 
goes great atop pesto pizza crust or on any other pizza recipe

What you'll need . . .

• 6 to 8 kalamata tomatoes (you may use whatever tomatoes you have, though! the heartier, the better.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt + pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon each dried oregano + rosemary

Method . . . 

1. Chop your tomatoes head to toe into thick slices (about four per tomato). Toss into a large bowl with the olive oil and other ingredients. Toss around until well coated.
2. Preheat your grilling pan* for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Then plan your tomatoes atop the grill and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Flip and cook another 5 minutes. Flip again and continue until the tomatoes start to get grill marks and release their juices.
4. Once they get goopy, start mixing the sauce around in the pan and take off the heat. Let cool and remove from pan and continue mashing until desire consistency (we left our tomatoes rather whole).

* A grilling pan isn't required to make this recipe, it will just give those nice blackened grill marks. You can also use a regular fry pan with similar results.


The sauce truly was the star -- majorly chunky + rustic -- and the dollops of ricotta were light. Almost sweet, lending perfectly well to the freshly picked basil I grabbed right before the afternoon's second deluge of rainfall.

To cook your pizza, just preheat your oven to 450 degrees F, preferably with a pizza stone preheating as well. Roll out your pizza dough and then cook it for about 4 minutes before taking out of the oven and flipping over. Put on your toppings -- including the basil and perhaps a shake or two of Parmesan -- and bake for about 15 more minutes. Until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

I gladly tackled this half myself.


Enjoy!

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Pesto Pizza Dough

I told you I'd be back with more pesto-riffic ideas for you. I'm pretty sure this is my favorite way to use homemade pesto in bulk -- and it works no matter what ingredients (think GREENS) you end up using. This basic pizza dough works great for, well, pizzas + calzones, but also a sweet modification of one of my favorite recipes: Pumpkin Pesto Rolls.

Now make some PESTO garlic rolls!

PESTO PIZZA DOUGH
Vegan optional, depending on your pesto.

What you'll need . . .

• 2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey/maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto
• 3+ cups bread flour
• pinch salt

Method . . .

1. If you haven't already, make your pesto. As I've said in the past, you can sub in most leafy greens you have around your kitchen -- so feel free to get creative. We've used anything from swiss chard to kale, etc.
2. Then in a large bowl, combine the warm -- not hot -- water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let sit until frothy -- around 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the pesto and olive oil. Stir well.
4. Then add in the bread flour + salt -- at first just 2-1/2 cups. Knead and add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until the mixture forms an elastic ball. Not sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours until doubled in bulk. 
5. Then punch down and divide into two balls. Store one and divide the other again -- but into between 6 and 8 balls. Then follow the instructions in the Pumpkin Pesto Rolls post for the rest.

Like I said, making a simple + satisfying pizza is always great, too. Tomorrow I'll share this beauty with you -- homemade kalamata tomato sauce and all!


Have I convinced you to eat pesto with every meal yet?

What's your favorite use for the gorgeous, surprisingly healthy green spread?

MORE THINGS PESTO:

Steamed Pesto Dumplings
Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto
Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Spinach Pesto
Vegan Walnut Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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Steamed Pesto Dumplings

So, I thought I'd give you guys some ideas for what to do with all that Garlic Scape Pesto you might have in your fridges/freezers. Actually, we've been modifying that basic recipe + subbing in other greens, like spinach, and we have quite a bit on hand these days.

This means pesto EVERYTHING -- from simply slathering it on toast to incorporating it into more complex recipes like this one . . .

STEAMED PESTO DUMPLINGS
Adapted from our Basic Vegetable Dumplings

What you'll need . . .


for the crust:

1-1/2 cups organic white flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup Garlic Scape Pesto
Water -- see directions

for filling:

A few white mushrooms
1 small onion
1 small zucchini or other squash*
1 teaspoon red curry paste

* Really, you can cook up any veggies you have around the fridge.

Method . . .

1. Mix together your dough by combining the flour + pesto. Depending on the moisture level of your pesto (I used the vegan version of this pesto), you'll need more or less water. So, be careful to add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is nice + elastic, but not sticky. Then roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. When you're ready to make the dumplings, take dough out of the fridge and plastic wrap and divide into 8 to 10 equal pieces. Set aside. 
3. Make your veggie filling by chopping them into small bits + cooking the vegetables in a tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the onions are glassy, add in the curry paste (or whatever seasonings you have on hand). Then let cool to room temperature before putting into the dumplings.
4. Roll out each piece of dough into an oblong shape about 2" x 3"-4". It doesn't really have to be technical. Just big enough to fit in a heaping tablespoon of filling and then close again.
5. Fill dumplings one by one, folding over and creasing after each one is completed. Continue with the rest of the dumplings.
6. We cooked ours in a large pot with about an inch of water at the bottom and a steam basket. Covered. For about 10-15 minutes. (For more detailed instructions, check out this site.)
7. Let cool completely before eating. They even store great in the refrigerator, too.

NOM . . .


I enjoyed them best the day after. Yeah, I like them steamed, but I also heated some sesame oil over medium-high heat and fried them until golden brown + served with a honey-soy sauce.

They COMPLETELY remind me of the dumplings we can buy for a premium $$$ at our favorite natural foods grocer. I am also thinking it'd be great to make up a big batch, steam, and then freeze them. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Have a great holiday! I'll be back soon with more recipes.

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Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways

It's CSA season, so our fridge is teeming with beautiful seasonal produce. So much of it, in fact, that I'm frantically trying to come up with good ways to use it all. Maybe "frantic" isn't the right word, but I hate wasting food we get from the hands of farmers we know + love.

Pesto is a favorite of mine because it's adaptable and forgiving. You can use so many different nuts, greens, and other additions to make it new and different. You can add flavor a bit at a time so it doesn't get out of control. It freezes well, too. So, though this recipe makes four 1/2 cup servings -- I kept two in the fridge for the week and sent two down to our upright freezer for safekeeping.

Bring on the greens!

GARLIC SCAPE + SWISS CHARD PESTO
// 2 ways // feel free to use other nuts, greens, or seasonings!

What you'll need . . .

(vegetarian version)

• 5 garlic scapes, chopped
• 1 cup swiss chard, leaves only, cut off stems
• 1/4 cup coarsely processed almonds
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• salt + pepper, to taste

(vegan version)

• 5 garlic scapes, chopped
• 1 cup swiss chard, leaves only, cut off stems
• 1/4 cup coarsely processed almonds
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• salt, to taste

Method . . .

1. Prepare all your ingredients. (Or just half if you want less or just one type of pesto.) The great thing with this recipe versus some of my others? You don't need to cook anything.
2. Make your first batch by tossing all the ingredients (except the salt, pepper, and other seasonings) into a food processor and pulsing until you reach your desired consistency. I left this pesto pretty chunky because we're going to be using it on pasta and on pizza -- if you're like it drippier, add more olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Set aside + repeat same process with other pesto ingredients, from start to finish.
4. Then divide your finished pesto into two portions each and store in airtight containers. (Alternatively, you can place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 6 months or more.) 

MORE THINGS PESTO:

Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Spinach Pesto
Vegan Walnut Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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