Oil-Free Pesto

Recipe by Danielle Lavallee

This combination of whole-grain pasta, plant-based pesto, roasted veggies, and toasted pine nuts is delicious and a sneaky way to squeeze in a ton of whole plant foods. You will barely miss the parmesan.

Step 1 -

Cut up your veggies of choice. I used:

• Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers

• Zucchini

• Yellow Squash

• Japanese eggplant

• Chinese Eggplant

To keep them oil-free and still give them lots of flavor, I top these with tamari, a little sriracha (or skip it if you don’t like heat), and salt.

Bake at 400 until tender.

Make sure to make lots of extra to use as a building block for breakfasts and lunches (cook once, eat 2-3 times).

Step 2 -

Make the nutrient-dense pesto:

• ½ cup raw walnuts (You can also use pine nuts, but as I’m already topping the dish with pine nuts, using both nuts in this recipe ups my plant count. Plus, walnuts are great for your health and make a particularly creamy pesto.)

• 1 clove of garlic

• 2 large (2 oz) packages of basil, end stems removed (approximately 4 cups)

• 1 large handful of spinach (approximately 1 cup)

• 1 large avocado

• Juice of 2 large lemons (or more)

• 1 tsp of salt

Place walnuts and the garlic clove into the bowl of a food processor and mince until finely chopped.

Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

Adjust your seasonings to taste.

***Important – Do NOT cook this pesto! The flavor and color are bright and sunny in their raw form. When cooked, the pesto becomes less vibrant both in taste and appearance.

Best when used immediately.

Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta.

Step 3-

Cook pasta according to the package instructions.

Step 4-

Toast approximately 1/3 cup of pine nuts in pan on medium heat.

Watch them closely, as they burn easily!

Step 5 -
Assemble Your Dish:

Pour off pasta water and place pasta in large serving bowl. Don’t put the pasta back into the pan to toss, as it will overcook the pesto.

Pour pesto sauce over the pasta and toss. This will warm but not cook the pesto.

Top individual plates of pasta with roasted veg and garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Yum! Yay plants!
🌱💕