Summer brings so much from the garden. From fresh veggies to plenty of herbaceousness (what does that word even mean?), there’s lots to harvest and add to the table.
I generally have too many fresh herbs to gather, and after salsas, garnishes, and mixing into various salads, there’s usually tons of parsley, basil, or cilantro laying around. Time to make pesto.
Fresh is Best
As you’ve probably gathered from previous posts, homemade is the best way to reduce sodium for almost any recipe or dish, and this is especially true with pesto. Many restaurant or store bought jars contain very high amounts of salt for even the smallest serving.
It’s very simple to whip up and if you don’t have a food processor or a small chopper, a classic mortar and pestle will do.
Herbs Abound
Choose your herb, which really should choose you. If I have leftover parsley, that’s it. Basil? Here we go. Cilantro? Why not?
Simply remove the leaves from the stems, if you so choose. Any herb will do so long as it’s fresh and has a bit of a, “snap,” to the leaves as you remove them.
Go Nuts
Classically, pesto is made with pine nuts. However, pine nuts can be expensive, difficult to find, and also because of a higher oil content, can go rancid quickly if not stored properly.
Instead, I like a simple unsalted peanut, cashew, or walnut. Being mindful of nut allergies is key, but also can be helpful here, given your unique nutrition. Ensure it’s a nut with a decent fat content to help create that ideal mouth feel.
Say Cheese
This is where you’ll get most of your sodium. Don’t go cheap with Parmesan cheese as a high quality cheese, combined with a good extra virgin olive oil, will make the pesto pop.
While most recipes call for added salt, for me the cheese brings it all, especially if I’m going to add more shredded cheese to my final plate of pasta or dish.
Beyond the Pasta
Pesto is versatile and can go beyond traditional pasta. From this Pesto Potato Salad, to an accompanying garlic toast or even mixed into scrambled eggs, don’t be afraid to find new ways to use this bright sauce.
What’s your preferred pesto? Share in the comments below!
#staysalty
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