After the whirlwind of holidays and indulgent holiday eats, I think it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one who is looking for a fresh and healthy start to the new year.
If you’re still in the midst of hosting holiday gatherings or just love to entertain, this spinach basil pesto is also a fresh way to brighten up your charcuterie board and a nice escape from the typical fruit-based jams and spreads. It’s easy to throw together a few days ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge until it’s time to serve it.
A typical pesto has fresh garlic and pine nuts. One of my best friends has an intolerance to raw garlic, so I made this with a garlic powder instead, and I’ve decided I may even like it better this way! As for the pine nuts, I’m all about saving money where it makes sense. Using sunflower seeds is a great alternative ingredient – less expensive than pine nuts, but still gives you that nice texture and buttery taste. It’s also a great allergy-friendly alternative, for those allergic to tree nuts.
This pesto is an awesome fresh condiment to have on hand for a variety of dishes. Here are some tasty ways to put this pesto to use:
- Drop spoonfuls of it over a homemade mozzarella and tomato pizza
- Smear it over grilled chicken or veggies
- Mix it up with some spaghetti squash and top with shaved parmesan
- Spread it on toast and top with a tomato, poached egg and some salty bacon
- Put it in a pretty bowl or jar and serve it on your next charcuterie board
If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think!
Spinach Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 6 oz bag of baby spinach
- 2 oz fresh basil (or 3 tbsp basil paste)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. The sunflower seeds are optional, but add a texture and a slightly buttery taste to the spread.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Stays good for at least a week – maybe longer, but it doesn’t last long enough in our house to find out. 😉