Vegan Pesto

Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil

1/2 cup roasted cashews or pine nuts 2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• Combine basil, cashews and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until combined and well chopped. While the machine is on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Then add in lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and pulse until fully combined and creamy. Add additional salt as needed

• You can use this as a sauce for pasta, dressing for a salad, add to soups (it’s in my minestrone recipe), or use it as a dip for veggies

• Can be frozen in ice cube trays then moved to a freezer safe container for future use.

(original recipe by Gena Hamshaw for Food52)