Hemp Seed Pesto (Dairy Free)

I was craving salad for dinner tonight but wanted to add some oomph to it without adding meat. I started by hard-boiling some eggs. I noticed my basil plant was looking rather full out on the patio, so I took my scissors to it with pesto in mind, hehe.

This recipe is based from a great website called www.choosingraw.com. This is a great clean eating recipe made from all fresh, whole foods. Hemp seeds are used instead of traditional pine nuts or walnuts for this recipe. I love hemp seeds as they are a good source of healthy Omega-3s fats, high in protein, and high in: Iron (20%), Thiamin (20%), Phosphorus (45%), Magnesium (45%), Zinc (20%), and Manganese (110%). Hemp seeds are also a good source of: Riboflavin (6%), Vitamin B6 (8%), Folate (8%), and contain 3 grams of fiber in a 3 Tablespoon serving.

Hemp Seed Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled hemp seeds (Manitoba Harvest is my preferred brand)

1.5 –2 cups fresh basil leaves, measure out by firmly packing into measuring cup

1 garlic clove

2 T. olive oil

2/3 cup water

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Raid your basil plant and collect as many leaves as possible. Shoot for 1.5 to 2 cups. You can also use store bought. Rinse well.

2. Add hemp seeds to food processor and pulse for about a minute, until the seeds are ground up.

3. Add basil leaves, garlic clove, olive oil and pulse in food processor to combine.

4. Add water to make a creamy consistency.

5. Serve over fresh salad immediately or store in fridge.