Pesto Isn't Just For Nuts Anymore

This may be obvious to some, but for the others, let me let you in on a little secret: Nuts can be substituted for other seeds in many of your favourite recipes...Ta-da!! I suspect this revelation was left out of the Bible because it stirred up too much controversy.

Pesto is one of those typical nut-laden favourites, but its' contents can be replaced with seeds and still return a remarkable flavour. It's also somewhat satisfying to know that there is a way to preserve your favourite herbs through the winter. I have been buying and roasting all kinds of interesting vegetables this summer in an attempt to get to them while in season. Since nothing pairs with a roasted vegetable quite like pesto, I thought I'd give the traditional recipe a little shake up.

Here's a sample of my favourite swapola:


Dill Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh chopped dill
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 t fleur de sel 

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined. If the pesto needs a little more moisture, try adding lemon juice or a bit more olive oil.



Basil Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh chopped basil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 olive oil
• 1 t fleur de sel

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined. If the pesto needs a little more moisture, try adding lemon juice or a bit more olive oil.