Australian Yoga Journal — November 2017

Perfect

PESTO

Our editor shares one of her favourite

and most versatile kitchen creations.

WIN your very

own processing prop!

I have personally fallen in love with

my newly acquired Cuisinart food

processor, and it’s a product I wouldn’t

hesitate to recommend for any yogi’s

kitchen. Pesto is a great place to start –

but it’s also perfect for nut meals, bliss

balls and so many other healthy and

tasty treats. And it’s so easy to use and

clean – bonus! For your chance to win

a Cuisinart eight-cup food processor,

send us an email with Cuisinart as the

subject [email protected]

PESTOwas one of the first things I ever learned to make in the

kitchen, and I always have a jar handy in the fridge for adding to

salad dressings, pasta and healthy snacks. My greatest learning

from years of making this delicious dip is that you can pretty much

substitute the basil with anything. You could use coriander and chilli

for a more Thai-inspired taste, or replace it with some sun-dried

tomatoes or roasted pumpkin to give dishes a Mediterranean twist.

Having the right equipment makes all the difference. You can

go old-fashioned and use a mortar and pestle, but I’ve found a

food processor to be my best friend in this creation. I’ve tried using

blenders in the past, but you just can’t achieve the same chunky

texture.

Here’s my trusty recipe with plenty of options to let your inner

food processing goddess shine! Feel free to experiment with your

own additions and get creative.

You will need:

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil (or coriander/

a blend of other fresh herbs, roasted pumpkin

or beetroot)

½ cup roasted (or raw) pine nuts/cashews/

walnuts

1 to 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

(use more/less to taste)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or a more

mild-flavoured olive oil. If making a beetroot

dip, use plain yoghurt instead of olive oil.

If making another roast vegetable dip,

use less olive oil)

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or lime)

3 Tbsp. savoury yeast flakes (or Parmesan

cheese for a non-vegan option)

Salt and pepper to taste

Feel free to add some lightly toasted spices to

taste (Moroccan spices work well with pumpkin)

Method:

Place the basil (or basil substitute), nuts and garlic

into the food processor and pulse to combine.

Turn the motor on and slowly drizzle the olive oil in a

thin stream (remember to use less if you’re making a

vegetable dip).

Add the lemon juice, savoury yeast flakes, salt and

pepper and any other spices you’d like to add and

pulse a few more times to combine.

Add to salad dressings, pasta (or zucchini pasta!),
bread, crackers – or add a dollop to your dinner.
Enjoy within five days and keep in a sealed jar
38 in the fridge.

november/december 2017

yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO:MANUWE/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM