Herby Pesto with Sunflower Seeds

Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts, but they are expensive and allergenic to some. I like raw sunflower seeds’ flavour, nutrient density and price tag. I like that people with nut allergies can enjoy this pesto.

I always use parsley in my pesto, a handful of spinach, kale or arugula to help “bring the vibrant green.” This pesto tastes great for chips n dips, dolloped on just about every cooked vegetable, grain or protein. It is a staple in my fridge and a great way to use up those no so great-looking leftover herbs.

Servesmakes 1 cup
Cooks in 0
Prep time 15mins

Iron
Iron is a mineral essential for building red blood cells, carrying oxygen to lungs & tissues, cellular energy metabolism, healthy brain & immune functions.

Foods high in Iron;
Spinach, kale, parsley, nettles, seaweed, algae, leafy greens, potato skin
Red meat, poultry, liver, fish, shellfish - sardines,
Eggs, Mushrooms,
Tofu, Black Beans, Chickpeas, Lentils, Beans
Quinoa, Teff, Oats, Buckwheat, Rice, Millet, Barley, Wheat
Seeds pumpkin & squash, pistachios, hemp, flax, almonds, cashews, cacao, dark chocolate,
Dried fruits apricots, raisins, molasses
Nut Free
Recipes are nut-free. Nuts allergies are common and can cause serious inflammation for people with a nut allergy. Nuts include tree nuts and peanuts.
Dairy free
Dairy-free Recipes have no animal milk or milk products no cheese, no yoghurt. Dairy is a common food allergen, dairy can cause inflammation.
Vitamins Minerals
Anti Inflammatory
Recipes have ingredients with anti-inflammatory nutrients and avoid common inflammatory foods like sugar, gluten, dairy and processed food. A whole food diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help relieve symptoms of inflammation within the body. Inflammation is at the root of most disease = dis-ease.

Ingredients

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Method

Herby Pesto with Sunflower Seeds

FOOD PROCESSOR – add garlic + sunflower seeds, and blitz for 10 seconds until the mix resembles breadcrumb.

ADD HERBS roughly chopped, ¼ cup olive oil + salt, process for 30 sec, then scrape down the sides.

PROCESS adding a dash of more oil to achieve a rough blended texture. Pesto is not a smooth puree unless you like it that way.

TASTE season and adjust; spice it up if you like.

SERVE as a dip with veggie sticks, crackers, and chips. Stir through pasta. Use in salad dressings,

STORE in a narrow top mason jar in the fridge = reduce surface area & oxidization = top going brown.

Chef tips + Ingredient Swaps + Ideas

LOW FODMAP use 1 tbsp sunflower seeds; 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds per serving.

SWAP SEEDS use a combo of sunflower seeds, pumpkin pepita seeds, hemp seeds. Use nuts traditionally pinenuts, cashews, almonds and walnuts work well.

* HERBS & GREENS; any combo of these would be delicious basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, arugula, sorrel, lovage, bronze fennel, mint, spinach, kale.

Basil – use leaves only.
Parsley, cilantro, sorrel, spinach use stems and leaves
Oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary – use smaller amounts with other herbs; you will need to finely chop by hand as they don’t chop well in the food processor, especially rosemary; always chop rosemary by hand
Seasonal foraged greens like dandelion leaves, garlic mustard, wood sorrel, purslane

SPICE it up by adding fresh chilli or dried chilli flakes

CHEESE flavour dairy-free & vegan = nutritional yeast. OR use grated parmesan cheese,

FREEZES quite well. Once defrosted, it’s better to stir through warm grains, pasta, or soup than use as a fresh dip.