The Simplest and Best Pesto Ever

This recipe is one of the simplest and purest around! While it contains no measurements, it is 100% Paleo- and creativity- approved…

Pesto contains ingredients straight from the natural kingdom that can be used in a variety of ways, when combined; from topping rice cakes or your favorite gluten free pasta, to serving with bread or as a dip for fresh vegetables.  Our favorite use is as a topping for brown rice, spiral pasta topped with salted tomatoes or salsa.  You will notice the recipe is missing one often included ingredient: parmesan cheese.  We don’t think you will miss the fatness or saltiness associated with the cheese.  The walnut fat makes this sauce very smooth, and salt is added separately.  Another ingredient in most manufactured pesto sauces is refined oil.  Again, walnut is our addition of oil, freshly derived from its most natural form.  What makes this sauce even better is that pesto is now a vegan option.

Ingredients:

raw walnuts
fresh basil leaves and stems
whole, peeled garlic cloves
raw salt -or- organic tamari sauce
water

To make, first drop raw walnuts into the bottom of a blender or food processor and add enough water to sufficiently blend the nuts into a medium-thick, pourable mass.  Next, add the basil, garlic, and salt or tamari (sparingly) and, again, blend into a thick but pourable mass.  You will need to stop the blender now-and-again to smash the ingredients that have risen above the blades back to the bottom of the container where they can be processed.  You will also need to taste-test the mixture periodically to fine tune the amount of saltness desired.  The salt or tamari will serve to moderate the saltness, and both the water and the tamari (if used) will serve to moderate the final consistency of your sauce.  You will be using this pesto with fairly bland companion foods, so you will want the pesto flavor to be quite spunky.  Aside from the salt factor, the right amount of garlic will add just the perfect pungency.

Here is a peek at how good this mixture is for you!

Basil: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=85

Walnuts: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99

Garlic: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php