Due to my appreciation for delicious seasonal produce, trips to the farmer’s market are a must during the summer months. There is something truly special about knowing where your food was grown, and experiencing the beauty, freshness, and flavors that simply blow most supermarket imports away. This year, my minor obsession with summer produce finally pushed me to grow some of my own veggies! Due to my lack of experience with gardening, I started with simple tomatoes and some of my favorite herbs. 
If I had to choose, I would say that I am most excited about the basil plants so far. 
My absolute favorite method of consuming this lovely aromatic herb is in my favorite sauce- Pesto! Traditional pesto often contains basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, but I love to get a bit creative with my sauces (one of my absolute favorites to make is sunflower seed and spinach pesto)! This week I veganized my sauce by eliminating the cheese, and also swapped the classic pine nuts for hemp seeds for something different!
Not only are Hemp Seeds a fantastic, easily digestible source of protein, they are also packed with all 9 of the essential amino acids, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, the essential fatty acids, and phytonutrients. I love to sprinkle them on everything from salads to avocado toast for an extra boost of nutrition!
This particular pesto sauce truly is loaded with nutrients and flavor. It is delicious stirred into pasta dishes and roasted veggies, or spread onto pizzas and sandwiches. The possibilities are endless!
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- 2-3 cloves garlic*
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Nutritional yeast, optional**
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender, and process until smooth. Serve with your favorite pasta, a plate of roasted veggies, or an open-faced sandwich!
- *Adjust the amount of garlic you use according to your taste buds. I love garlic so I used 3 cloves, but it was pretty strong!
- **You may add a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the pesto if you desire a cheesy flavor, or simply sprinkle some on top of your meal before eating!
Wow, Christina, this looks so delicious. Now you made me hungry 🙂
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Definitely my go to pesto!!😆
You’re welcome, I am so happy to hear that! It is my go to as well! 🙂
I made this tonight! I put it on top of gnocchi with some mushroom and sundried tomatoes. It was delicious! I also used hemp oil in the pesto for some extra Omega 3s. 🙂 This recipe is a winner!
That sounds like such a delicious combination! Thank you for the positive feedback 🙂