Fresh pesto with cashews

Learn how to make an easy pesto with a slight variation that celebrates the amazing herb basil. It's an easy recipe that you can throw together in 10 minutes using just a blender or food processor.

I have been wanting to make a fresh pesto from the basil in our garden for a couple weeks but finally got around to it this weekend. This is the first year I have succeeded in growing basil and nothing seems more fitting to honor my first win at basil than making a simple, delicious pesto.

Because this sauce has so few ingredients you really want to try to get the best of the best. A classic pesto calls for basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and salt.

I opted to change mine a little because I did not pine nuts. Pine nuts are delicious but can be hard to find sometimes and are expensive. I had plenty of chopped cashews in the house so I justed toasted those up until lightly browned and threw them in in place of the pine nuts. I also added a few roasted sunflower seeds at the end to give mine a bit more depth but that is really not necessary. It would have been great without.

Once you have your ingredients the prep is easy! Put all your ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend until combined. Then you can start adding your oil to the consistency you like! Do one final taste check to see if it needs any more seasoning and there you go!

Fresh, fragrant, simple and amazingly delicious pesto!

You can store your pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. Either place plastic wrap directly onto the pesto or cover with a thin layer of olive oil and then seal in an airtight container. Pesto also freezes wonderfully. You can do the ice cube trick or throw into a freezer bag.

What is so great about pesto is it's versatility. It is great:

• As a dip for veggies

• By the spoonful

• Spread for crackers

• Sauce for pasta

• Topping for chicken or pork loin

• Spread for a wrap

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Pesto with Cashews

Prep time: 10 minutes

Yield: about a cup of pesto

3 cups of fresh basil

1/3 cup of chopped cashews toasted

1/2 cup parmesan reggiano

3 garlic cloves, whole, peeled

1/2 cup olive oil (you may need more or less depending on your taste)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: 1 tsp roasted sunflower seeds

Place everything in your blend or food processor except for the olive oil. Blend until combined, pausing to push down basil a few times. Once a paste is formed, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved. Cover with plastic wrap directly on pesto or top with a thin layer of olive oil in an air tight container and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.