BROCCOLI, BASIL & PINE NUT PESTO

Pesto is an incredibly versatile sauce that can be enjoyed in countless ways. In addition to mixing it into pasta, noodles, rice and spiralized vegetables, I love to use it as a dip for crackers and crudités, a topping for toast, pizza, salad, eggs, and baked potatoes, or a flavour booster for proteins.

Homemade pesto is super easy to make and you can have fun playing around with different nuts, greens and “add-ins”.

Here I went with a combination of broccoli, basil and pine nuts. I also added bone broth and a super greens powder (optional) for some extra nutrients, protein, and gut health benefits. If you prefer to make this without bone broth, you can use vegetable broth, water, or additional olive oil since this is a relatively “low oil” pesto.

Ingredients for approximately 2 cups of pesto:

• 3 Tbsp raw pine nuts

• 2 to 3 cups steamed broccoli florets, cooled (from one head of broccoli or thawed from frozen)

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil

• 1/4 cup Broya or homemade bone broth (optional, see note below)

• juice from 1/2 lemon

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• pinch or two of cayenne pepper

• optional add-ins: 2 Tbsp Organika bone broth powder and/or 1 Tbsp Amazing Grass green superfood powder or 1 scoop collagen with greens

• 2+ Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, adjusted to desired consistency

Note: In place of the bone broth, you can use vegetable broth, water and/or additional olive oil since this is a relatively “low oil” pesto

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spread pine nuts on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes until just browned. Cool.

2. To a food processor or blender container, add cooled nuts, broccoli, basil, bone broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, cayenne, and bone broth powder or superfood greens powder if using. Blend well.

3. With processor/blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until well combined, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides with a spatula as needed.

4. Add additional seasoning, lemon juice, or olive oil as needed for desired taste and consistency.

Broccoli Basil Pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or frozen for several months. I like to freeze it using an ice cube tray so that it’s easy to thaw in single-serving portions.

Vegan Broccoli, Basil & Pine Nut Pesto with additional olive oil instead of bone broth.