PISTACHIO PESTO

delicious pistachio pesto served on triscuits

also good on:  bruschetta, baked pita chips,

crudites, steamed baby artichokes and poached shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup shelled unsalted roasted pistachios

24 large basil leaves, torn

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup Vegan Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, grind the garlic until finely minced.  Add the nuts, basil and parsley and pulse several times until finely chopped.

I process all the dry at one time.  Next add

liquids and process.  quick and easy!

Add the Vegan Parmesan and pulse just until combined. 

Add the olive oil, water, lemon juice, and salt.  Process just until the pesto is well combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

This pesto can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving.

The pesto also freezes well; Place in a container with a tight fitting lid and freeze for up to 2 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator.

makes a nice rich appetizer for the holidays...

from a lovely little book:  Skinny Dips / Diane Morgan



GARDEN INSPIRED APPETIZERS

My challenge was to create snacks using the abundance from my garden. 

More important than ever, since reading the NY Times article sent to me by brother Bill.  Eating dirt?  A good thing?  Hug a farmer?  Give up the germ killing wipes?  Read more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/opinion/lets-add-a-little-dirt-to-our-diet.html?_r=2&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y


For my late afternoon cocktail hour, I finally decided on:

sweet cherry tomatoes with 2 dipping sauces, fresh basil pesto and tzatziki,

baba ganoush with crackers for dipping and

dressed fresh tomato slices with sliced mozzarella and whole basil leaves

both tomatoes and basil from my garden

cherry tomatoes from the garden served with

tzatziki and homemade basil pesto

baba ganoush with dipping crackers

PESTO REVISITED / FLATBREAD PIZZA

start with Suzie's Flatbreads, multi-grain & flax and multi-seeds

read more: http://eatlikearabbit.net/2010/04/13/youve-got-try-suzies-flatbreads

FLATBREADS

flatbreads (found at Costco)

topped with sun-dried tomato pesto and a sauteed mixture of onion, pepper and eggplant, topped with vegan Parmesan "cheese"

topped with basil pesto and a sauteed mixture of onions, peppers and eggplant AND sausage! 
(vegetarian sausage, of course)

great for lunch OR as an appetizers



GARDEN HERB PESTO

This, like the others, is simple, fresh and quick.  Use your food processor and mix it all together.

start fresh

everything goes into the food processor

TIP:  Buy pine nuts in bulk, the difference in price is amazing.  A small jar is equivalent to $60 to $62 per pound.  Buying in bulk costs in the low $20s.  It pays to purchase in bulk.

HERB PESTO:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup cold water

1 - 2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves

1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.

I turned this into another pizza (yes my favorite fast meal) but this is great served with pasta.

Next pesto to experiment with will be LEMON PESTO using lemon balm.  Can't wait!

PESTO PIZZA

Here's a great use for the leftover sun-dried tomato pesto that I posted previously.
http://vegetarianfoodadventures.blogspot.com/2011/06/sun-dried-tomato-pesto.html

These pizzas are healthy, low cal and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

100% whole wheat tortillas
sun-dried tomato pesto
sauteed mixture of veggies:  today I used red onion, eggplant and 1 hugh green pepper
vegan parm

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake until the top is lightly browned.  Remove from the oven, turn to the other side and set aside.

Spread the pesto thinly on the unbaked top of the tortillas.

Sprinkle the veggies evenly over the top.  Sprinkle the tops with vegan parmesan.

Bake till warmed through. (about 5 minutes)

Cut with a pizza cutter.  Optional:  Serve with peanut sauce (Satay) drizzled on top.

The peanut sauce makes this a unique pizza.  Thanks to Christine for this novel idea.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

I just had a fabulous summer day lunch (OK OK, I'm sure the chilled white wine helped - I had to!  It's 102 degrees here today). 

This recipe can be used for lunch as I have today, for fabulous appetizers or as a tasty substitute for pizza sauce. (I plan on making Christine's flatbread pizzas SOON with this pesto and some fresh veggies from my garden. 

PERFECT SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO
(makes 1 1/2 cups, takes 10 minutes)

2 (3-oz) pkgs sun-dried tomato halves  (I just used the tomatoes from the jar / a brimming 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese ( I use the vegan product)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. cold water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.  Serve

the vegan cream cheese used to spread on the cracker

great on bagels too

perfect sun-dried tomato pesto

LUNCH or appetizers:

I spread a cracker with vegan cream cheese, top with the pesto and garnish with a pinenut.  Looks nice and tastes great!

Next I'll be trying the leftovers as a pizza spread...stay tuned.

GOOD USE OF THE HERBS/BASIL PESTO

AHHHHH fresh basil from the garden.

                                    very few ingredients called for in this very easy quick recipe

                                                             a simple bowl of pesto

                                    in this meal, used as a condiment on a grilled veggie sandwich

BASIL PESTO

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshley grated Pecorino cheese  (I recommend Veggie Grated Topping by Galaxy Nutritional Foods)  http://www.galaxyfoods.com/galaxy-products/soy-cheese/veggie/veggie-grated-topping/

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

2.  IF using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth.  Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

3.  IF freezing, add only 1/2 of the oil while mixing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top.  Freeze for up to 3 months.;  Thaw and stir in the cheese.